Secrets: REMAKE
by JulyB96
Summary: Kronos is back, but this time he is taking a different approach and of course none other than Percy Jackson is involved. With his friends at his side Percy has to fight for not only his life, but their parents as well . . . literally. / re-written fic! lots of couples, lots of drama, lots of action, pls give it a chance, more info inside
1. Prologue

Um, well hi! It has been a long, long time since I published here. I originally only published this re-vamp on AO3, but this is where I started and I remember that a lot of people did read my original Secrets on hre, which means I can't leave them hanging because they were the ones who motivated me.

So, this is Secrets, but remade and revised. A longer fic, more complex plot, and taken from a different angle, but still the core idea: Percy and Co. have been cursed, the gods are in trouble, Kronos is a bad man I will tell you, instead of ignoring HoO like I had last time, I will be writing this fic as HoO is happening, so you will not only see old characters, but the new ones as well. So, it's like an HoO AU, but not really.

Now, without further ado, for all of you new readers and even the older ones who I hope are still around, I present, Secrets!

* * *

Percy:

Secrets, oh gods, secrets. Did you know secrets kind of really just suck? Well, yeah, those little white lies or the moments when you can't tell your friend they're having a surprise party, I mean those are good. But what good can secrets really do? Honestly, most of my life had secrets in it and it always screwed everything up. The prophecy? Secret. Spies? Secrets. My cousin, Jason Grace, Son of Jupiter? t.

I guess by this point you're wondering why on Gaia's green earth I'm telling you this, well, she's the reason. Or rather, her son's the reason. Or well—okay, let's start from the beginning, or rather, the end.

So, Olympus was preserved, Luke died a hero, I kissed Annabeth, the Gods were happy, or as happy as they could be I guess, and Blackjack flew off into the sunset. Everything was nice and dandy, but for some reason that only Gods would know, or rather they don't know because they have no idea what's happening, no one thought that Kronos, the titan _**KING** _ and _**LORD**_ of time, had a back up plan. Well…he did, obviously that's why I'm telling you this. I'm gonna tell you his back up plan, I'm gonna tell you how it happened, I'm gonna explain every single little detail because if I don't no one is gonna know the truth, hades— _Hades_ doesn't even know the truth—the gods don't even know the truth, because I can't tell them the truth. Because if I do, I'm gonna get my ass kicked, my cousin's are gonna get their ass kicked, everyone's gonna get their ass kicked. Everything is so utterly screwed, so I thought in the little time before everything blow's up, I'll tell you about it.

Let's start.

The waves crashed lightly against Camp Half-Blood's shoreline as the sun set, so bright that it looked as if there was fire sitting on the horizon. Apollo must've still been happy from the victory. It had been two weeks after the Battle of Manhattan and the last day before camp ended, and demigod's slowly started returning back to their homes. Campers were healing and loss was apparent for some beds had stayed empty after we returned home, but a sense of peace had washed over us all, because it was all finally over.

"Seaweed Brain!" A voice called out behind me.

I turned to see Annabeth sprinting towards me and I extended my arms in time for her to crash into them. She laughed as I spun her around, hair flying out behind her and she buried her face into the crook of my neck; I could feel her smile against my skin.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked.

"Just thinking, you know, and stuff." I said.

"And stuff?" She asked.

"Yeah, and stuff." I said, threading my fingers through her hair.

She grew quiet. "You ready to go home? Sally definitely misses you."

"Misses me?" I asked. "She saw me two weeks ago."

Annabeth pulled back and rolled her eyes at me, "Yeah, Percy, during and right after a war. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you under safer conditions."

"Yeah, you're right." I said.

She pulled me into a kiss. "I'm always right," She said.

"Why do you think you're Wise Girl," I said, glancing out at the bay. I turned back towards her, smirk on my face, and I could tell from the look on hers that she already knew what I was going to ask her. "Wanna go for a swim?"

"Of course."

 **.**

By the time we got back the sun was gone, but the wind blowing across the lake seemed to drop the temperature an extra ten degrees. We hurried back to our cabins as quickly as possible, making sure to avoid the harpies who were no doubt on watch. When we finally reached the Athena cabin, we were a little out of breath and I was about to burst from laughing.

Annabeth playfully hit my shoulder, "Percy! Shh, you're gonna wake up my siblings."

"How do you expect me to keep quiet if you make me laugh?" I asked, half wheezing.

"Who knew cheesy jokes were your weakness."

"I'm pretty sure everyone knew that, it's practically written across my forehead."

"Ohmygods," She whined. "Why are you my boyfriend."

"It's true love," I said, pulling her close. "And don't quit on me so soon, it's only been two weeks, I'll prove myself."

"Two weeks of absolute peace."

"Yeah," I sighed. Annabeth's hands pushed a few strands of hair from my face, and cupped my cheek. I wrapped my arms around her, pulled her closed, and kissed her and kissed her and kissed her. She pushed her hands through my hair and down behind my neck, interlocking them and pulling me closer. I sighed against her lips and lowered on of my hands, down towards—

 _SCREEE_ —a loud noise from above made us break apart, it must've been a harpy, but the sky was clear. The noise repeated itself, quieter this time and we turned around to see a small silver owl perched above the door way.

It was Annabeth laughing this time.

"Oh, okay, I see, I get it." I looked at the owl. "Ok, I'm going, I'll stay away from your daughter. Whatever."

"Come back here." She said, pulling me back for one last kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow morning to see you off, okay?"

"You're not going home?" I asked.

"I'm going to stay a little while longer, just to make sure everything is okay before I leave." She explained.

"That's a good idea. Smart as always," I said. "Goodnight."

"'Night." She replied, searching my face one last time before retiring for the night. I walked to Cabin 3, light on my feet, smile on my face— _Okay, okay, okay, I'm stopping everything just for a moment. This is the moment where it all goes to hell. Yeah, right after that great night with Annabeth, goes to hell, right into Hades, just superb. Yeah, great, I know right. Okay, get back to reading about my misadventures. I'll see you soon, okay, bye_ —and mind at ease. Things were gonna get better. Everything was going to be better.

I was so trapped in my own bliss I didn't realize something was wrong until I was already a few steps inside my cabin. The air was thick and my feet suddenly felt ten times heavier, like some unseen force was pulling them down. The moonlight could clearly be seen through the windows, yet somehow it wasn't filtering inside, so the room was pitch black. The fountain in the corner no longer glowed, but the water continued to gurgle and was the only sound in the room aside from my shallow breathing.

I reached for Riptide.

"I wouldn't." A voice came from behind and that was enough for me to throw away any sense of rationality before spinning around to face the intruder, but I couldn't spin around. I couldn't move at all. My feet wouldn't move.

"Bag him." Another voice said and before I knew it a hand took my wrist in a vice-like grip. I cried out in pain, Riptide clattering to the floor and whoever it was took my other hand, tying both behind my back. A bag was thrown over my head, my chest, my legs, then the floor disappeared from under me and I had the sensation of being lifted. I started flailing about, trying to break free, but I heard someone mutter something. A spell maybe? Then…then nothing.

 **.**

I heard before I saw.

I heard groaning and shoes scuffing from a pair of feet that passed nearby, you could even tell what shoes they were wearing, just by the way they walked. Big, black combat boots, the clunky ones that made it hard to walk, but were perfect for kicking people in the gut. Next came the sound of cell bars, heavy and rusted, clinking shut, keys rattling and locks clinking. Then came the whispers, soft and quick, like smoke; you could hear what was being said, but only for a moment, then it was gone. They seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, it made it seem as if the area around me was spinning. I heard something else, it was close and rather loud, but it wasn't until I opened my eyes that I realized it was the sound of my own shallow breathing.

I found myself on my back in what appeared to be a cell, with brick walls reaching high to a grated hole in the ceiling and a barred cell door that led into a narrow hallway. My immediate reaction was to sit up but I found myself unable, not because I was restrained, but because I was in pain. My bones ached and my mouth was dry. How long had I been in this cell exactly? With some difficulty (and a whole lot of pain, let me just repeat) I dragged myself to the door and peered down the hall as far as the bars would allow. For awhile, I just lay there with my face smushed up against the bars, pondering whether or not I should call for a guard or just go back to sleep. I was in too much pain to move, let alone get up and try to break out of the cell. It felt as if I'd fought an entire army by myself, but I hadn't, I got kidnapped. Seized, captured, abducted like a cow to an alien spaceship.

Ohmygods, no, was it aliens, did they perform experiments on my body is that why everything hur—

A loud noise disturbed me from my thoughts and I glanced in the direction from where it came. It originated from the cell across from mine, which held a sleeping man who seemed to be having a coughing fit. At closer inspection I found that not only was the person familiar, I had fought with him previously in a war only two weeks ago.

"Nico…Nico?" I whispered, careful not to alert any guards (or whatever could possibly be running around this place). Nico kept coughing, but didn't seem to awake from his slumber. I tried again. "Nico. . .Nico, Ni-co."

More coughing.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," I muttered. "Di Angelo!"

This time he awoke, with a few more coughs for a good measure, and I watched as he went about the same routine I did. Eyes open, look around, try to sit up, experience a heavy amount of pain, slowly sink back down to the shitty rock floor, glance out into the hallway; that's when he saw me. He seemed a little taken aback by it at first.

"P-Percy?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's me. Nico, do you know what's going on?" I said. He looked me over before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. As he lie there, he began to speak, slowly and quietly.

"I woke up in here three days ago, or at least I think it's been three days. Percy, I don't know what's going on. I was walking around the Underworld and then suddenly I couldn't move. These men came out of nowhere, everything got darker—and that really says something seeing as I was in the Underworld to begin with—and, and then they grabbed me, hauled me away. I passed out, I guess, and then I woke up in here. Every time I wake up I feel as if I'm in a daze, and then sooner or later someone comes to get me, and—" His voice grew thick. "Percy, I hurt, I don't know what they did to me but it hurt, and I'm still hurting and I don't understand. They drag me out into a room, and maybe it's something in the air, but I can't hear them. Everything's muffled, I can't move, I feel as if I'm moving in slow motion. And then I'm hurting, I think I'm screaming, I don't know, then they drag me back in here."

"Nico…"

"I hurt for hours, maybe days, I can never tell, then I fall asleep. Then it happens all over again." His eyes open suddenly and he turns to me with a crazed look in his eye; for a moment, I'm scared. "Percy, look at me. I don't know how they're doing this, but just look. I'm not the same."

My eyes scanned Nico up and down, from his legs to his chest, to his broad shoulders, and his defined jawline, whoa, whoa, hold up, _JAWLINE?_ Upon closer inspection I came across more oddities, like the stubble that covered half his face, plus fact he seemed to actually fit into this body. It's like he'd totally skipped puberty.

"Nico, what did they do to you?"

"I don't know Percy. One second, I was me, then they took me into this room and the next thing I know, I'm back in this cell and I—I look like this! I feel like I'm twenty, it's so weird, I don't know why, or how but—"

"Nico, calm down, just explain. I'm right here, take deep breaths."

"No, Percy, you don't understand, something isn't right and I mean that in the worst way. I wish I could flip over so I could show you my arm, they put something on it I—"

"Nic—"

"Percy, I have no idea how to get out of here, I don't even know what's going on, I'm scare—"

Just then there was a clang down the hall—a door being opened—and then a pair of feet started to shuffle towards us, they sounded like the shoes from before, clunky and big. A figure appeared outside my cell, their shadow looming over me through the bars. I looked up, tried to make out a face, but the light that filtered through the grate impaired my vision and left white specks around the edges. I heard a lock click and the bars slid open, and then I was being hauled up and dragged down the corridor; I couldn't even move. Someone was screaming in protest, I was 99.9% sure it was Nico.

The guy or lady, or whatever, dragged me through the end of the corridor, throwing me to the side like a rag doll and pausing momentarily to shut and lock a door—the door to the corridor I guessed. A gigantic, metal door that was not tall but wide, like the door to a bank vault, but rectangular and without that spool thing in the middle. Also, a lot dirtier, yeah a lot dirtier. They picked me up and returned to dragging me across the floor. Where we were going? I had no idea, but we arrived in a room rather quickly. The person hauled me up onto a chair, the kind you'd see those massage therapists use, you know the one's in the mall where people just awkwardly stare at them as they pass. He had my chest flat against the chair and so my back was exposed to the open room, which sent my mind off the chain.

With my back exposed I was totally vulnerable, and right now I didn't even have the slightest idea of how to get out of this place. I moved my head to the side slowly, because I could barely move, to get a better look at the room. It had a few tables, an empty steel shelf, and a light that most likely hung above me because I couldn't see it, but it cast a ugly, yellow tinge around the entire space, so it was definitely there. Thankfully, with the new, less blinding light source, I was able to get a better look at big boots, who was in fact, a man. He was dressed in all black: boots, jeans, shirt, even hair, and was rocking a wicked five o'clock shadow.

No not rocking, it was hideous, it was really ugly. Gods dammit, Percy, he's the enemy.

Big boots was tinkering with something that I couldn't quite make out. He kept picking up little silver things that looked like needles and inserting them into some small gadget. For a moment, he paused and stood up, walking over to me. Well this is it, I thought, he's gonna beat the shit out of me. But no blow came. All he did was strap my arms and legs to the side of the chair, then went back to his weird toothpick game. I rolled my eyes and decided to speak up, a bit pissed off at the restraints.

"You know, I can't move, thanks to you probably. There's no need to tie me down."

In response, he simply glanced my way for a moment and gave a deep, throaty chuckle. Then he reached into a small box that had sat atop the table next to him and pulled out two vials, both containing a shimmering liquid, one gold and the other green. He screwed them into his little object and as he lifted it off the table, fear finally dropped down into my stomach, closing around my chest and constricting my throat. The thing resembled a gun, not a real gun, but some sort of tattoo gun.

Big Boots got up and dragged his chair behind me, it's rusty, metal legs screeching against the concrete. I felt his hands ghost over the hemline of my shirt, and then he took it and ripped it up the middle.

"What are you doing?" I asked. Ignoring the question, he plopped down in his seat. He started rubbing a cloth against my back and it was wet with…something.

"You know," He said. "The boss says I don't have to do this. I could just say some dumb incantation, all that voodoo, magic shit. But I think it's much more entertaining this way, don't you agree?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

He ignored me again. "Of course, we'll probably do that with the rest, it's not like I can drag every single one of you in here. Boss said he wanted me to deal with you six personally though, so at least I can enjoy this. I mean, either way you'll end up with these symbols, but it's just nice to make 'em myself. They're some pretty sick tatts."

"What the fuck is wrong with you." This time he didn't ignore my comment and his hand came down on my back, hard. I clenched my fist and tensed, "Ah, shit! That hurt."

"Keep yourself in line, boy, you wouldn't want me to actually hurt you."

"Let me go."

"No." That seemed to mark the ending of our conversation, because he moved closer to me and settled his arms against my back. He had the gun in his hand, I could feel it hovering over me and my stomach twisted into knots. Then it buzzed to life and pierced skin.

Pain.

Red hot, searing pain broke out across my back and danced underneath my skin. My muscles tightened and I gripped the seat with just about every ounce of strength I had. I started yelling, for him to stop, to let me go, to do pretty much anything but continue. It was like little shards of burning iron had been shoved into my body, and now they were swimming through my bloodstream. Tears prickled at the corner of my eyes. You will not cry, Jackson, I told myself, you will not. The pain spread and spread, until not even the tips of my fingers were safe from it's onslaught. I yelled and yelled until my voice grew hoarse and died, but he still hadn't stopped, hadn't even paused. _This definitely isn't a tattoo,_ was the last coherent thought I had before blacking out. You'd think I would've gotten some peace, right? No, that was even worse.

 **.**

I woke up back in my cell. I didn't even try to move, who knows how much pain I'd feel this time around. For some reason, I knew Nico was in the cell next to me still, I didn't even have to look over, his presence was just _there._ Almost as if I could sense him.

He spoke up, his tone knowing. "Feels weird, doesn't it?"

"What?" I asked.

"You know what I mean." He said. I did, in a way, I just pretended not to.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Alright then," He said. "How was it?"

I paused, swallowing, and winced. Even my throat hurt. "It, um, it was painful. It hurt…a lot. It was strange." He waited, probably hoping I'd elaborate. There was more, but I couldn't say it, couldn't describe it, not right now. "That's all."

"Okay…you think the gods know we're here? Like, do you think the fates know?"

I thought for a while. "No," I said.

"Do you think anyone will find us?"

I thought for a while longer and when I thought I was done, I thought some more. Finally, my voice thick, I answered. "No, Nico, I really don't."

After that day, things just kept getting worse. Nico and I were hauled out of the room every few days, separately of course, and every time we'd come back with the same story. Get dragged down a hall, get strapped to a chair, experience unbearable amounts of pain via needle (but it was the work of a god, it had to be a god), black out, wake up in the cell. We'd kept strong for what seemed like a few weeks; talked each other through panic attacks and told the other we'd find a way to get out of here, even when we knew it was hopeless. It was only when two men came in, dragging Thalia—her silver circlet still glistening, her eyes filled with tears, a cut lip bleeding down her chin—between them, that I finally cracked. She stared at Nico and I as she passed by, mouth agape, and with that I was screaming. I told her to run, get away, shock them, do anything, even when I heard the lock on her cell click I couldn't stop, they couldn't do this to her. I screamed obscenities, cursed in Greek, told them where exactly to shove it, but they simply laughed at me and left. When I'd finally calmed down, Thalia started off with the rapid fire questions, said she could barely move, said they'd kidnapped her while she was on watch. She wanted to know what was happening, why she hadn't known about this, why Nico looked like a college student, why, why, why. Nico tried to answer the best he could, but I couldn't take it, they were going to hurt her and I couldn't do jack shit about it.

I cried until my eyes burned and throat felt raw. I didn't even have it in me to call out to her, I just slept.

About a week after that, or at least I think it was a week, they stopped taking Nico out of his cell. The last time he'd left, he said they'd told him he was finished. Finished with what? He didn't know, but that wasn't a surprise. They seemed to enjoy letting us guess, liked to see us drive ourselves insane. Of course, the day they stopped with Nico, they started with Thalia. When she'd come back, we'd asked her what was wrong but, much like myself, she refused to say. The next day, they took me.

And so on it went.

It was just Thalia and I for a while, every day one of us would go, and as time went on Nico started getting stronger. One day he could sit up and the next he could stand, it was only for a second though; he'd gotten on his feet only for his knees to wobble and give out. The big brutes started putting spells on his cell as if to keep him in, and one day, after my trip to the tattoo shop, the three of us learned why.

"Guys, look at this." Nico said and I turned my head in his direction. I heard Thalia shuffle along the floor, closer to her cell door.

"What?" She whispered.

"My powers, I can use them again." He said and reached his hand through the jail bars. It hovered there for a moment, then suddenly, a ball of black flame ignited from his palm. It popped and crackled, but there was no wood. Nico spun it around, let it dance across his fingertips, and slowly, let it die out. I was speechless.

"I've never been able to do that before." He said in amazement.

"Nico!" Thalia cried, a smile in her tone. "Oh my gods, no way! Can you get out? Can you shadow travel?"

"No, I can't shadow travel, the shadows here won't respond to me whatsoever, but maybe I could melt the bars." He said.

"Go for it, dude." I said.

With a deep breath, Nico lit his palm again and held it up against the bar. It was silent for some time, but then the metal start to creak and pang. I could see a sharp cracks crawling throughout the entire pole. Nico grabbed another and did the same. I could hear Thalia let out a laugh.

"Nico, you're doing it, oh my gods, you're doing it."

He kept it up and the cracks spread, grew larger, the poles seemed to break apart, and a smile stretched across my face. I inhaled deeply, more anxious than I've ever been, when suddenly a shining light ran through the bars, returning them to their previous state and propelling Nico back into the wall. He landed on the floor with a thud; I didn't even have time to be disappointed. The door at the end of the hall flung open, smashing against the wall and a group of people stormed in. The first to come into view was Big Boots, he stopped in front of Nico's cell and leaned to the side to make way from the others. This was, of course, the first time I'd actually gotten a good look at him, seeing as the others were spent with me on my chest and face shoved into the chair. He was tall, had to be almost 7 feet, and he was built, with dark hair, down to his shoulders, and a beard that said, 'hey! i haven't shaved in two weeks!' He was wearing what appeared to be a cloak, but whatever it was exposed his arms and along them I could see tattoos everywhere, shifting, shimmering, _moving_ , as if they were living across his skin. It made a shiver run down my spine.

Finally, two other men came down the hall and as they came into view, I realized why it had taken them so long. They were dragging a third, a guy with blond hair and a purple t-shirt. He seemed about my age, another demi-god I assumed, but I had never seen him before. He was kicking and shouting, trying to break their grip, but it seemed pointless, they weren't going to let go. He turned his head and for a second, our eyes locked, then they were shoving him past me and into the cell across from Thalia, but it was too late. I'd already seen them, his eyes, they were a striking shade of blue, electric in their movement. . .they were Thalia's eyes, they were Zeus' eyes.

I scrambled to my feet, despite the pain, and threw myself against the bars, reaching my arm across the small hallway to grab Big Boots by the collar. In his momentary shock I was able to fist a good handful of clothing and draw him forward, pulling him against the bars. His eyes were wide, the iris a pale emerald, they were hypnotizing. If I wasn't so angry I might have passed out, but I was angry, I was livid.

"What the _fuck_ are you trying to do, man? Who the _fuck_ are you?" I spat. I could see anger leech into his eyes as he returned the favor, grabbing me by my shirt.

"First of all kid, never touch me. Second of all, you're not worth an explanation." And with that he shoved me back, throwing me against the wall. I steadied myself before taking a breath, and slid to the ground slowly. He spat on the floor of my cell, then nodded at the others, signaling them to leave; I glared at him. As they passed, he turned towards Nico and crowded up against his cell.

"I know what you were trying to do, this place is coated with spells. If you try it again, I'll remove that ink and we can start all over again." He threatened and left. Once I heard the lock of the door click into place, Thalia whispered to the new kid. It was a son of Zeus, it had to be.

 _"Jason."_

There was silence.

"T-Thalia?"

"Yes!" Thalia cried. "Yes, it's me. Thalia, that's my name, you remember me. Jason, oh my gods, it is you. Wh-what happened to you?"

"Me?" He asked and I could practically picture his eyebrows scrunching together. "I…don't know, I was in, um…and then there were these guys surrounding me. I froze, I don't know why, they jumped on me and I blacked out. I woke up too soon though, or at least I'm guessing I did, because when I started struggling they freaked. They dragged me through a bunch of hallways, it was weird, where are we now? What is this place? Wh—"

"No, Jason, what _happened_ to you? I thought you were _dead._ Where have you been all these years? What did you say before, you were in where?" She said.

"Uh, I…um, it's complicated I can't—"

"You can't what? Jason, I'm your sister please tell me, I deserve to know. Listen, I'll go first, ok? I'm sixteen, after you disappeared I ran away and met a boy named Luke Castellan…things happened, Dad kinda turned me into a tree, but thanks to my friends I'm here now, I attended Camp Half-Blood, I'm the lieutenant of Artemis and I—"

"Wait, _what?_ Did you say Artemis, as in the _Greek goddess Artemis?_ Thalia, don't you mean Diana?

"Yeah—wait what? No, I mean Artemis, why are you calling her Diana?" She said. Nico and I glanced at each other.

"Well, uh, I—"

"You what—"

Down the hall, there was a clang and the door swung upon, effectively silencing them both. Big Boots appeared and walked straight to Thalia's cell. Strange, he shouldn't have been back here for awhile. I could hear the jingle of keys and the sliding of her door, he hauled her up despite her protests and shoved her against the wall."

"Hey, what in Hades' are you doing?!" She yelled.

"They're bringing more of you soon," He grumbled. "Gotta' speed up the process."

He dragged her down the hallway despite Jason's protests, despite all our protests, and left. I could hear Jason's breath go from quick, to slow, then even. He started shuffling, and I knew what he was trying to do.

"Don't get up," I warned and there was a pause, then a snort and more shuffling. Next second later, a loud thud. "Told you so."

"Whatever," He replied. "Who are you anyway?"

"Name's Percy. Jackson. Percy Jackson, son of—" I caught myself. I glanced over at Nico, his eyes were wide.

"Son of who? Hold up, are you guys demi-gods too?" He asked, hopeful. "Maybe if all four of us work together, we can get out of here."

"We're not getting out of here." Nico said.

"Don't think like that, listen me and my sister alone can get us out of here if you're both weak or injured or something. I'm a son of Jupiter, no need to worry." He said. Oh no, I thought, oh no.

"Nico…" I started, but he snorted and laughed, cursing under his breath.

"I guess it's true. I mean Thalia's pretty down to Earth, but maybe then it's just Zeus' sons who are arrogant beyond measure." He said.

"Jupiter," Jason corrected. "And I'm not arrogant, I'm just trying to save everyone's life."

"No need for saving here, sweetheart."

"Fine, we'll leave you here in the dark."

Nico laughed, "Oh, what a fucking family tradition."

"Nico." I warned.

"What are you even talking about, dude? Is there a stick up your ass or something?" Jason said. Nico glared at the wall, almost as if he could see through it, and suddenly Jason let out a cry. "Whoa, what the hell!"

Nico blinked, once, twice, then let out a huff of air and rolled his eyes. "Don't worry you won't actually burn."

"You did this?!" Jason yelled. It sounded like he was patting parts of his body, his chest, his jeans, his arms.

I looked at Nico, "What did you do?"

"I might have accidentally made him caught fire."

"Accidently?!" Jason yelled. I mouthed a 'how,' towards Nico but he just shrugged with a bored expression.

"He pissed me off," He stated.

"How did you even do that? That fire was black as night. Who's kid are you? Vulcan's?" Jason asked.

"Hades." Nico said matter-of-factly and went silent. Yet another pause.

"And you?" He asked. Assuming Jason had meant me, seeing as there was no one else in waiting for the Tattoo Parlor of Hell, I sighed and answered.

"Poseidon."

Jason didn't reply, not instantly, not later, not at all. I didn't take it as a good sign, but I didn't take it as a bad one either. Instead of worrying, I drew my attention to what Big Boots had mentioned before. More? Of us? Who else were they going to throw in here? Were there more Children of the Big Three? What was going on? For a moment, my mind wandered to him and gold eyes flashed in front of my eyes, but no, it couldn't be, he was gone. He had to be gone, Luke sacrificed himself to make that certain, there was no way…was there? A while later, Jason had started up again with the questioning, but neither of us would answer him. When Thalia was brought back, and he saw her in her current pained state, he shut up for good.

The next day, they took him.

From then on we fell into a pattern, but this time around, there was no resistance; just waiting. Day after day, they'd take two of us, one in the morning and one at night I'd assumed, but again, no way to tell in this place. Eventually, there came a day when they'd brought me to a different room and I knew it was my last time. It'd been…very painful, very bad, and something I'd prefer never to think about ever again. The next day two guards waltzed, one was Big Boots and the other, had an unconscious Katie Gardner thrown over his shoulder. When she woke up we gave her the run-down, and she told us that she'd been in the strawberry fields, a little past curfew, when they'd grabbed her.

"What were you doing?" Thalia asked.

"Trying to salvage the last of the strawberries and maybe get a few more to grow. Mr. D does keep the fields in harvest season for a few months longer than usual, but even he can't control the Earth." She said.

"Wait, the last of the strawberries?" Thalia asked. "What month is it?"

"November." Katie replied. I drew in a sharp breath

"Three months?" I said. "It's been three months? What's been going on? Is the camp alright? Annabeth, what about Annabeth?"

"Oh, Percy," Katie's voice sounded strained. "The camp is fine, but Annabeth's lost her mind. She's been out searching for you. At first she thought you'd gone home, but then Sally called asking for you. She won't stop, she barely sleeps, the whole camp is concerned. I'm sorry."

I shrunk into myself. Katie started telling Thalia how the Hunters had come looking for her, but their conversation grew farther and farther away. Just thinking about her, restless day and night, looking for me even though it was pointless. We didn't even know where we were, we hadn't even seen the outside world, there was no life to be heard from the hole at the top of my cell, no birds, no trees, nothing. How could she possibly find us? I wouldn't even want her to. It didn't matter if they kept me in hear for months or years, I'd never let them touch her. The more and more I thought about it, the angrier I became. I could practically see her sitting at her desk, head in her hands, stressed beyond belief. It wasn't right, they did this, those monsters did this, they'll pay, I'll make them fucking pay. If they even tried to lay a single hand on her I'll ring their necks and—

Someone was calling my name repeatedly, loudly, quickly. "Percy! Percy, Percy, Percy! Stop, Percy, stop it, you're going to bring the whole building down!"

I looked over, it was Nico. He stared at me, face pale, and then glanced up at the ceiling. He did it again and again and again, until I glanced up myself. There was something wrong with it, there were little cracks throughout the ceiling; my eyes travelled the lines taking me down the wall and to the floor, all cracked.

"What happened?" I asked. Nico stared at me in awe.

"Percy," Nico said simply. "That was you."

"You really are the Earthshaker's son," Jason said. "Go figure."

.

Well, you guessed it, after Katie's arrival we fell into yet another pattern. She was the first to come back crying, which set us into a panic, but between the sobs she explained that they had taken the needle to her side and I understood. It was poison to begin with, I couldn't imagine having them inject it in an area that's already sensitive. After awhile, she'd fallen asleep, as I had many times before, and an eery silence fell down upon us. I sat up and shoved my face up against the bars, peering down the hall as far as I could; something wasn't right. There was a unsettling weight in my gut and I glance over towards Nico to find him looking at me, an eyebrow raised in question.

"What is that?" He mouthed. I simply shrugged in reply, at least I wasn't the only one. There was silence, silence, silence—suddenly, the door flew open, banging against the wall, deafeningly loud. I could hear Katie awake from her slumber with a shout.

"This is the last one right." One of the men said.

"For now," Big Boots replied.

I watched as they came down the hall, this time carrying…someone I had never seen before. She looked older, maybe 19, definitely not older than 21. She had an olive skin tone, much like Nico's, and her hair was long, wavy and a rich dark brown that I'd seen somewhere before but…where. Their routine had become so familiar that I hadn't realized they'd finished until they'd already gone back down the hall. As they were leaving, no name muttered something.

"When are we gonna start bringin' in those other kids? And don't we got those dead ones too? We're taking this too slow." There was a dull slap, probably Big Boots hitting the other guy upside the head, but that was my guess.

"Not here." He threatened and then with a slam of the door, they were gone.

"What the Hades was that about?" Thalia asked.

"Who is she?" Katie asked. "I've never seen her at camp before."

"What'd they mean by dead ones? And others?" Jason asked. "Any other cousins I don't know about."

"Oh please, Jace, it's not like we were keeping it a secret from you." Thalia said. He let out a huff.

"Percy…" Nico started. "You don't think they meant…"

"The other kids from camp." I said. "Yeah, I do."

"Clarisse," Katie gasped. "The Stolls, Annabeth, Pollux, Chris, no—not the children! They wouldn't do this to them, this is torture, it's cruelty. It's savage, they couldn't do this to them."

"Not the kids," Nico said. "But to the others most likely, yes. There's a lot of campers our age, but they couldn't possibly do this to the whole camp, we don't even know what the hell they're doing."

"What the _Hades._ " Thalia corrected. Nico rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Hey, hey! Guys, she's waking up." Katie said. There was groaning, coughing, deep breaths, going through the motions as usual.

"Wh-huh? What's going on?" The voice was soft, but smooth…almost comforting. She was so familiar, but I was certain I'd never seen her in my life.

"Hi," Katie said, as calmly as she could. "You're probably not going to be able to get up, don't worry it's normal. Well, not normal, but normal in terms of this place. You're probably going to feel like shit too, sorry again. What's your name?"

There was a pause. "…Samantha. My name's Samantha, but I usually go by Sam."

"That's a really pretty name." Katie said. "Are you a demigod?"

"Pardon?" Sam asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Katie said, flustered. "I just assumed, since you were here I mean, I don't think a human could survive this, no offense to you if you are human it's just—"

"No, no, I am a demigod," She said. "I just had to double check that's what you meant. No one's ever really asked me that before…are you a demigod?"

"Yep!" Katie said. "My name's Katie Gardener, Head Counselor of the Demeter Cabin at Camp Half-Blood. She's my mom."

"…Did you say Demeter?" Sam said warily. Now, Katie was nervous.

"Um, yeah? Uh…is that a bad thing? Does your godly parent not like Demeter or something?" She asked.

"No," Sam said. "That's not it, it's just…I, I shouldn't be hear, ok? I need to leave."

"You can't leave," Katie said. "Trust us, we've tried. The other day Jason tried to fly to the top of his cell and at the last moment his powers gave out and he hit the floor. Hard."

"It was hilarious." Nico said, smiling.

"It wasn't funny, it was sad." Katie retorted, then turned her attention back to Sam. "They've trapped us in here, we don't know why, we don't even know who they are, but we can't get out."

"No, you don't understand," Sam said, panicked. "I have to get out of here, if they find out who I am my mom will get in so much trouble."

"Your mom?" Thalia asked. "Who's your mom?"

"Oh, sweetie," Katie said. "If you're in here they already know who you are."

"That's true," I said. "Those ugly dudes have used my full name with such colorful language numerous times, they know all about us."

"Hello!" Thalia yelled. "Is no one going to asked her who her mother is? Who's your mom?"

"I don't want to say." Sam replied, a little to quickly. "I don't want to get her in trouble."

"It's not like the gods are going to hear you here. I don't think they even know where we are." Nico said.

"…Really?" Sam said hesitantly.

"Yeah," Katie said. "Don't worry, we're not going to think it's bad. There are four embodiments of illegal consummation in here with us anyway."

"I don't know what you mean by that, but count me as the fifth." Sam said. "I'm the daughter of Hestia."

 **.**

Safe to say, we were shocked and in total disbelief, because frankly, she's a virgin goddess. That's not something you just throw away, at least I assumed it wasn't, but after a long, detailed description of Hestia, her abilities, and a sudden disappearance of the goddess a year prior (hm, I wonder why), we decided to believe her. She was clearly anxious in the way she spoke and we tried to reassure her, but nothing worked. That was, until Jason made an off-comment saying the worst thing that could happen is his father whining about, "why does she get to do it without getting in trouble and I can't" and Sam burst out laughing. We all burst out laughing, a pure, blissful laugh that rang through the cells, the different octaves intermingling and echoing against the rock. It was the happiest moment I'd had since I'd woken up in my cell and from that moment on, things changed. We talked to each other more often, faded in and out of conversations and share secrets with one another. Jokes were exchanged often—the ones about our family were the funniest—as well as stories, and we all told one another about TV shows and movies we'd watched, although they were very few. We told Sam about the Titan War, Jason told us about Krios, and she told us about growing up with a goddess around consistently. We talked about our goals, our dreams, our hopes, our fears, and with every word a bond grew. It was different, it felt warm and light, in a way that I had only ever really felt with my mom; it was nice.

We started to change, acted like actual cousins for a change. The girls would pick on us, and vice versa. We had inside jokes, as best as we could, having to whisper from one cell to another, and we there was ongoing teasing after a few of us had confessed embarrassing tales from our childhoods. I came to like Jason, he was harmless really, good natured, and the back and forth bickering between Nico and him was extremely entertaining. Katie and Thalia were people I had known before, but being in such close quarters provided me an insight to their lives which I was unaware; I grew protective and vice versa. Sam was quite the same, but she felt like an old friend, except I'd never known her and yet, we seemed to click; she seemed to click with everyone. Nico, on the other hand, well—at the times when the others were asleep we would sit and talk endlessly about everything and nothing, and I found his company akin to that of Annabeth's. It wasn't until one day, a day where everyone had finally finished that horrifying process and we were just sitting around waiting, that an epiphany came down upon us.

With a gasp, Nico stood. "Oh my gods, guys, guys, I figured it out. I know what they did."

"What?" I asked.

"They mimicked them with us. They, they recreated the six siblings. The children of Cronus. We're them." Nico said.

There was a pause as we all took it in, thought about it, processed it and then—"NO…" Thalia gasped. "I'm not supposed to be Hera, am I? I swear if I'm here in that vile woman's place I'm going to kick someone's ass straight into Tartarus!"

"I'm going to go with the obvious here and say this isn't a good thing." Katie said.

"I don't know, but it makes sense, doesn't it?" Nico said. "There's six of us and…alright, since we got here, have you noticed a change in yourselves? I don't know what it might have to do with this but, you know how I can make that fire? I've never been able to do that before."

"Yeah," I said. "But…wait! Yeah, remember when I made all those cracks in the wall. I wasn't even trying to do anything then it was just like—oh! Katie, remember how you made those vines awhile back."

"Right!" Katie said. "They were golden vines, I've never been able to make gold vines before."

"What do you think is going on?" Nico asked, looking at me and I could see it in his eyes. The spark, the anger, the fear, a look I'd seen on my own face before, a look that I was certain was on my face as well but I couldn't even tell because there was no mirror in here. There was nothing in here, it was a cell, we'd been in here to long.

"I don't know," I replied, taking a deep breath. "But we're not going to find out from in here."

"Hold on," Jason said. "Are we really doing this?"

"I'm up for it," Thalia said. "But this place is coated in spells."

"As cheesy as this sounds, what if we all try together?" Katie said. "Our abilities are unpredictable at this point, but there isn't much left they can do to us if it doesn't work out."

There was shuffling as the rest of us stood. I could hear increased breathing, the sound of knuckles being cracked, the tapping of a foot against the floor, it was like second nature. My adrenaline increased rapidly and I shot Nico a smile, he smirked in reply.

"Alright," Nico said. "I can try melting the bars again, but that won't be enough."

"I'll try loosening the rock around the bars," I suggested. "It can't hurt, besides I've got no aqua." Katie laughed, light and airy.

"I can try regrowing the vines," She said. "If the fire cracked those bars like you said it did, the vines will add pressure."

"Shall Jason and I play mad scientist? The bars are metal after all, they'll react to electricity." Thalia said.

"I'm with you sis," Jason said.

"I don't think I can do much for you guys," Sam said. "But if the opportunity comes up, I'll jump in."

"Okay," I said. "Plan is done, but the aftermath?"

"Run like hell and knock down anyone in our path." Thalia answered simply.

With that, it began. I watched as Nico held out his hands, but this time, instead of grabbing the bars, he simply held out his palms and they ignited. I watched in awe, stared at the deep look of concentration in his face, until the bars in front of me were enveloped in black flame and I jumped back. Shouts from the others alerted me that their's must have set fire as well. Nico shot me a look and I went to work, let my eyes travel across the structure of my cell, took a breath. There was a tug in my gut and I looked down, cracks had appeared at my feet and I watched as they crawled across the floor, up the wall, around the doors, growing larger, and making the rock splinter. Roots sprung from the cracks, wrapping their way up the bars, viciously tight, and the metal started to break. I held my breath and watched as lightning came forth from the cracks, making the metal vibrate and shake. The bars started to deteriorate under the onslaught and I could see it now, they were going to snap and break and—suddenly, everything seemed to slow down. The roots stopped growing, the cracks closes up, the fire and lightning froze in place and from down the hall, on the other side of the door, there were heavy footsteps and angry voices.

"Is this…" Thalia started. "Oh my gods."

"What's going on?" Sam panicked. "Why'd everything freeze?"

"Oh my gods," I said, ice closing around my heart. We were doomed. Everything seemed to happen at once, but I couldn't process it. The metal door opened and shocked against the wall, the noise echoing down the hall, but then there came a shout.

 _"NO!"_ Samantha yelled, her tone ringing out with finality. The fire and lightning and roots all turn gold and they were burning, burning, burning—the cracks came back, everything came crumbling down, and I was thrown back into the wall by the sheer force of it all. I shut my eyes, ears ringing, and when I opened them, there was a gaping hole were the door used to be and someone was reaching out for me, it was Big Boots. I grabbed his shirt, reflexes kicking in, and as I stood up, I brought him down, connecting his face with my knee. He fell back onto the floor and I stood over him, punched him, again and again and again. I was relentless, taking out every ounce of rage in the months that I'd been there on his face, on his chest, on his ribs, on everything. When I finally stood back, adrenaline low enough that I could actually think for more than a moment, I hauled him up against the wall and demanded he tell me everything. He looked at me and laughed, but confessed nonetheless. At the end of it all, I threw him on the floor, equally satisfied and terrified at what lie ahead. I turned and walked out of my cell, looking at the other guards strewn across the floor, and came face to face with everyone else. I stared at them and gestured behind me.

"Uh, you…you heard, right?" I asked, breathing heavy.

"Yeah," Thalia nodded. "We heard."

"Then let's go." I said and we ran. There were more guards, the place was like a maze, but just like Thalia had said we knocked down everyone in our path. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours, but we finally found a ladder that led up to a door and we didn't look back. Once we had all gotten out, I collapsed on the ground and cried. I could feel the sun on my skin for the first time in months and I took deep breaths, relishing in the the fresh air, but it was cold and as I looked around, I could see snow, like a blanket, covering everything. It was underneath my hands, the icy temperature turning my palms red and raw. I loved every second of it.

"Where are we?" Katie asked and I looked up to see her staring at the sky, her breath like a fog around her face.

"I don't know," Thalia said. "Maybe if it was night, I could see the stars, but that won't be for a few more hours. We're definetely nowhere near camp, or New York for that matter."

"I don't think we want to even consider New York," Nico said. "Not after what that man told us down there."

"But we have to go back, Nico," Thalia said. "They're the only one's who can help us."

"They're not going to help us if we go back," Nico said, voice growing louder. "If what he said is true, they'll kill us on the spot."

"What if it isn't true?" She asked.

"Even if there is a slight chance that it isn't," Jason said, cutting in. "I'm not going back. Look at us, we're not the same. We're not harmless and there isn't even a slight chance that we don't look suspicious. Look at these fucking tattoos, it's not normal."

"We weren't normal to begin with," Katie muttered and Jason pointed at her, eyebrows raised, as if to say: Exactly.

"This is a mess," Thalia said, then paused. "Speaking of which, Sam, what did you do back there? I heard you yell, I'm assuming it was you." We all turned towards her and she seemed to shrink in on herself, shaking her head.

"I have no idea," She said. "I could hear them coming and I just, I couldn't stay in there another day. I grabbed one of the bars and it's like everything melded together and then it was gold and I—I don't know."

"Well, whatever you did, it worked. So thanks." I said. For the first time since she had been taken to her cell I was able to actually see her, and the more I looked the more I realize she did look like Hestia. The warm eyes, soft face, gentle smile, the dark hair that framed her face, and as the sun hit it, it seemed to glow, turning parts of her hair red.

"Wow," I said. "You are so screwed when they find out."

She laughed, instead of panicking, probably high off the fact we were no longer locked in cages. "Oh, I know. Trust me, I know."

"Well," I said. "Where are we goin—"

There was a sound from below and voices floated up through the hole. Nico slammed the door shut quickly and we took off in a random direction. We ran and ran and ran until that door down to hell was nothing but a dot in the distance. I wondered why they hadn't followed us, but suddenly an invisible force tripped us all, and we fell along the forest floor. A presence, heavy and dark, surrounded us and I froze in place. A deep, throaty chuckle run out, making the hairs on my arms stand up; a shudder ran threw me. No, I thought, not this time. We all stared at one another, and wretched ourselves from our places. I stared down in shock, he couldn't control us, but as we kept running, farther and farther away, a voice in the back of my head told me he wasn't really trying.

We broke into a clearing and found ourselves atop a cliff, down below I could see a wide beach and gray, choppy waters. I pointed to it and as we ran along the cliffside, it began to snow. Down, down, down we went and as we ran across the beach, towards the sea, a voice rang out, clear and true, seeming to come at us from all directions:

 _" **RUN** LITTLE DEMIGODS!"_ Kronos bellowed. " _ **RUN**_ but you can't go _HOME._ There's nowhere for you now and _**I WILL FIND YOU.**_ Your parents will never believe you, so do your best to _HIDE_ because there is no _DEFEATING ME_ this time, little demigods. _**I WILL HAVE MY VENGEANCE**_."

* * *

….Oh, hello there, nice talking to you again. I know, crazy right? Well, there's more where that came from. More friends, more old faces, more monsters, more secrets, all that good stuff.

Did you think this was it? Oh gods, no, this is just the beginning, but let me reassure you now. If you thought it was going to get worse, don't worry.

It does.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! It would mean the world to me if you could review!

I hope you enjoyed it!

Chapter 2 will be out soon, but I have uni, so by soon I mean like 3 weeks, I'm so sorry.


	2. We Get A Gift From Grandpa

just a quick note before you start reading, this is the second chapter, but it's technically the first since the first was a prologue. i just need to make it clear or else everything would be kind of confusing.

psa: notes at the bottom

* * *

 **Percy:**

I sat alone in the dining pavilion, half-asleep over my eggs and bacon, glancing from one table to another. The Hermes table was crowded as usual, Ares' crew looked cranky, and Demeter's kids looked perfectly content, probably due to their mother's motto: "Breakfast! The most important meal of the day!" I looked to the Apollo table to see them, for once, not so bright eyed and bushy tailed. That was, I assumed, due to the fact the Hunters were visiting and had already stated numerous times that there would be a Battle of the Archer's during Capture the Flag tonight. I sighed, just another normal day at camp.

Arms came to rest on my shoulders and I froze.

"Shh, Percy, it's just me." A voice spoke, their body pressing against my back. My shoulders relaxed and I looked up to see Annabeth staring at me.

"Good morning," I mumbled. She stepped to the side and swung one leg over the bench, straddling the spot next to me. She was sporting the good ol' camp shirt and jean short combo, with her hair down and her dagger strapped to her thigh. We kissed briefly, then she snatched a piece of bacon from my plate and bit it in half. "Someone's hungry," I took a sip of my drink.

"Well, I am eating for two." She said and orange juice went flying everywhere. I coughed vigorously as she clutched her sides and doubled over, laughter shaking her entire frame.

"Oh my gods, Percy, chill! I'm kidding!"

"You can't say stuff like that, Annabeth," I said, pushing my plate away from me. "I can't even finish now."

"What's going on over here?" Thalia said, walking up to us.

"Annabeth's faking pregnancies and giving me heart attacks."

"Pulling pranks before 8," Thalia sat down, smirked, and stuck her thumb out behind her at Hermes' kids. "Are you sure you don't belong at that table?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes and stood up, "Very funny, Thals. I have to go say hi to my siblings before I plant my ass here, do you wanna come?" Thalia groaned and dropped her head to the table.

"But I just sat down."

"Fine," Annabeth sighed. "Be right back."

We watched her walk off, blonde hair bouncing in her wake, until she was out of earshot. Then Thalia turned to me, eyes flat and tired, with her jaw set tight. Even though it was early morning and the sun still had yet to break the clouds that barred the horizon, her circlet glimmered against her forehead. I knew she wore it proudly, but nowadays the circlet was mainly used to convince everyone—even Artemis—that she was a huntress. It was true that Thalia lived up to the position of Lieutenant, but how could you be one if your very existence threatened the goddess you were pledged too?

"Percy…Percy! Are you even listening to me?"

"What?" I blinked, snapping from my thoughts. Thalia pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

"I was asking you about the dream last night," She said. "I'm assuming you had the same one? We were all there together anyway."

"Right, right. The dream. Yeah, that was creepy. Like, creepier than usual, creepy." Last night had been a train wreck, our nightmare shaking each of us to the core. I'd lied awake for over an hour, staring at the metal sea creatures swaying back and forth, with sweat sticky and cold at the back of my neck. Ever since we'd "returned" to camp, Kronos had bombarded us with constant visions in the night, and we were nervous that people were starting to catch on; Chiron and Mr. D in particular. You could only hide so much from the people who had seen it all.

"What do you think he meant? _The guilty will be cleared._ " She raised her hands, fingers making quotes in mid-air. " _The traitor shall return._ Like what is that?"

"I don't know. I know he loves leaving us with headaches though. Do you have any ambrosia on you?"

"Percy, the others already…you don't think that he could possibly be hinting that…that there is even the slightest chance he's going to use—"

"NO." My voice was sharp as it cut her off and she glared at me. "Thalia, I know that it would be infinitely hard on you if that were to happen, but how likely is it? There's no possible way he—"

"He's the only one who fits the bill, Dickweed Brain. Don't try to tell me I'm exaggerating. You're just trying to deny it because if I'm right about this, then I'm right about Annabeth too." She let out a huff, cheeks flushed from anger. I leaned forward, temper rising.

"Don't you dare bring her into this. None of us know for sure if it's her."

"Are you kidding me? Who else would it be? Malcolm? Don't make me laugh. If it was Malcolm, I'd be offended for her."

"Thalia," My voice broke and my throat tightened. "It can't be her, okay? You don't know how guilty I would feel if it was her. I don't want her to go through that. She doesn't deserve it."

"Percy, I know she doesn't. No one deserves this, but if it's her, you can't walk around denying it. If it's her…you already know what's going to happen, and she's going to need us there. You can't be off in the background in denial, you'll have to be by her side." Thalia's gaze was soft but suddenly, my entire chest constricted and my stomach flipped. I looked towards her with confusion.

"What are you—"

"That's how I feel Percy, that's how I've felt for the past few days. I'm scared and trust me, I know how you feel, but we have to be prepared for what's coming." She looked down and the churning in my abdomen stopped. I wanted to argue, but she was right, one hundred and ten percent right. Annabeth's safety might've been compromised, but I definetely wouldn't let her security be; I'd be right next to her through it all, I just didn't want it to be her.

I sighed, "You're right, Thals. You usually are, but as far as our new powers go, can you ease up on the sensory sharing? I really don't feel like throwing up the food I just ate.

She laughed, "Sure thing, _Seaweed Brain."_

"Thanks a bunch, _Pinecone Face."_

"So, what are you guys talking about?" Annabeth said, plopping down next to me, this time with a full plate minus the grape she gave her mother every morning. Thalia and I both swallowed our words.

"Umm, headaches," Thalia lied, scratching the back of her head. "I'm startin' to think it's contagious."

"Oh no, not you too," Annabeth said, but from the corner of my eye I could see her cast a wary glance in my direction. "Percy and Nico have had them for weeks."

"Yeah, I guess I just have shitty luck or something." She replied. Except, that wasn't the case. In reality, Katie had headaches every day too, but she never brought it up. Nico and I had already drawn attention from Mr. D, and we couldn't afford any more suspicions. With the mention of Nico, I glanced over towards the Hades' tables and saw him, in his thirteen year old form, sitting there in his pajamas. I smirked to myself, of course he wouldn't have gotten dressed before coming down here, he probably wasn't even half awake.

Focusing my vision solely on him, I sent a message from my head to his. The image of him, back to me, sitting at the table. He turned halfway around and gave me a questioning glance.

 _Nice Mythomagic PJ's,_ I thought

"Kiss my ass," He mouthed.

"Percy! Percy!" Someone kicked me from underneath the table and I jumped in my seat.

"Ow!" I yelled. Thalia raised an eyebrow towards me knowingly and I rolled my eyes.

"Percy," Annabeth said. "I was asking you about Capture the Flag tonight."

"Oh crap, I'm sorry. I got lost in my thoughts, what were you saying?" I replied. Annabeth's eyes searched mine for a long time before she continued.

"Well," She started. "I wanted to know how you think we should pursue tonight's game. I mean, obviously I already have a plan, but if you had any water-related ideas up your sleeve, it would be good to know. After all, we do have our _ever gracious_ Huntresses with us." Thalia smiled and stuck her tongue out as Annabeth finished her sentence. Everyone and their human parent knew that the Hunters were going to try their best to beat us tonight, it wasn't going to be an easy win.

"Sorry, Annie," Thalia said. "We're just that good." Annabeth flung a piece of her breakfast across the table but Thalia ducked just in time for it to fly past her. I decided to level out the playing field.

"You guys are pretty good," I glanced at Annabeth, who raised a brow at me. "But Annabeth, I thought I already told you about that super secret water trick I learned the other day?" The smile that had been plastered across Thalia's face disappeared instantly, while Annabeth's grew as she caught on.

"Oh yeah, babe," She said. "I can't believe I forgot! You were showing it to me down by the lake, right?

"Wait, what…" Thalia said.

"Yeah, Thals. He showed me after we were done, you know, making out."

"Oh, ew! You guys are playing around with me! That's it I'm out of here." Thalia, in mock disgust, jumped up as quickly as possible.

"Oh come on, Thals," Annabeth called as she scurried away. "You have to hear about it! Then afterwards, I'll tell you all about his new water trick!" We were left alone to laugh at our own foolishness.

"Nice one," I threw my arm around her and hugged her tight.

"I couldn't have done it without you," She smiled and kissed me lightly. "Do you have a secret weapon, though?"

I paused and did a mental scan of everything new I had learned over the past year, whether she had been there for it or not, "I'm sure I can think of something."

"Fantastic," She said. Her eyes were trained on me, their intensity growing. "You know, I don't know what I'd do without you." My stomach did somersaults as I sat there, her eyes boring into mine. They were searching, I could tell, for answers to everything that had gone unresolved over the past two months. We'd been gone for close to a year—the six of us—and when we'd finally figured out how to control our powers, when we'd finally decided it was safe to come back, the only thing we'd struggled with was a feasible excuse. In the end, we had blamed it on Hera. Actually, we blamed it on all the wives, saying that they had needed us to take care of a few loose ends after the war. Mist was used excessively to convince everyone of our lie and Sam, simply, went back into hiding; no one knew she existed after all. Of course, Annabeth…even with the mist, Annabeth was never fully convinced.

"You don't mean that," I shook my head awkwardly. "It's more like the other way around. Usually, you're the one saving my butt. If I didn't have you, some god would have probably turned me to dust by now."

"Percy, I lost you again, for nine months this time. I don't say anything that I don't truly mean." I wanted to respond, but my throat tightened, my lips wouldn't comply. When she realized I wasn't going to say anything, she sighed, "You don't give yourself enough credit, Percy." The kindness in her tone made my heart ache. No matter what we did, there's no way we could have ever pulled the wool over her eyes. If I told her the truth, she might be able to help us, but then she'd be a bigger target in Kronos' eyes.

I didn't know what to do. She'd know what to do. She was Annabeth.

"Annabeth, I—" A horn sounded in the distance, cutting me off. Our heads snapped in its direction even though there was nothing to be seen. We both knew that horn well, it meant morning rounds were beginning.

"Duty calls," Annabeth muttered, standing up. "What were you saying, Perce?"

"Nothing," I said. "I'm gonna finish eating breakfast. I'll catch up with you later." She nodded and ran off. Once she was out of sight, I dropped my head to the tabletop and groaned.

 **·**

The day passed in a flurry of chores, activities, and a Stolls' pranks that ended rather badly due to their malfunctioning dirt bomb that backfired on them. It seemed like a normal day at camp, but as time went on an unsettling feeling grew steadily in my chest and by the time everyone was suiting up for the game, I was about ready to vomit.

"Need an aspirin?" Nico said, walking up to me.

"It wouldn't help." I smiled. "How about you?"

"Same feeling. What do you think he's gonna do?"

"No idea, but I think Thalia's right. He's gonna bring him back to life."

"That's not possible though, Percy. My father would notice that in a second, no matter who or what did it. Why would he expose himself like that?"

"Well, what if he had someone to help him? Like someone on the inside or something?"

"That…," Nico's brows furrowed. "Actually might work."

"Hold up, I was just kidding," I said. "Are you serious? He might have other allies? That's not—"

"Hey guys," Annabeth said, running over to us from where she had been standing with her cabin. "Ready for the game? Nico you remember what to do when we trap the Ares cabin, right?"

"Of course," He laughed. "We're gonna nail 'em."

"I heard that!" Clarisse yelled. We all turned to see her glaring at us.

"Don't worry," Annabeth whispered. "She'll never figure it out in time."

"Campers!" Chiron's voice rang out across the clearing and as he began to ramble along the usual rules, I let my mind wander. Sooner, rather than later, people were lifting their weapons in the air, ready for battle. Annabeth was wishing us both good luck and my legs began to move of their own accord, running into the forest along with everyone else; it felt like I was in a bubble. We took our positions amongst the trees and Katie came up behind me, I hadn't even noticed Nico had left. She said something but her voice came to me muffled and unrecognizable. A horn sounded, clear and true, throughout the forest and we were running again. I took down a few campers easily, then Katie and I, ever so silently made our way for the flag which Annabeth told us had been staked down near the creek. My foot came down on a twig, snapping it in half, and my bubble popped. From all angles wind came crashing into us and his voice, cold and deafening, hit us head on.

 _Are you ready for a surprise?_ Kronos said, the sadistic tone evident.

"It's never much of a surprise with you," Katie muttered.

 _Come now, young Katie, I'm just looking for a little fun._

"Well, it's only going to be fun for you, so we don't really want to participate." I said. "Where is he?"

 _Just up ahead. Hurry up, you don't want any of the others finding him first._

Katie and I took off immediately and ran into a clearing, only to stop short at the scene that lie in front of us. There were ten dracaena in a circle by the creek and their heads all snapped towards us the moment we stopped. A splash of orange could be seen between their reptilian legs and my eyes darted down to observe the crumpled figure they surrounded. He was wearing jeans and a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, with a head of blonde hair; I couldn't make out his face, but I already knew, I'd know him anywhere. Katie must have come to the same conclusion.

"That's—"

"Yeah." I said.

 _You want him,_ Kronos said, _Come get him._

"Monsters!" Katie shouted from behind me into the woods, her voice ringing out in the night. "Help! Alert! Campers at the ready!"

I charged towards the dracaena, slashing down the first two in my path, but the third took her shield and knocked me to the floor. I looked up to see her spear lifted up high, ready to strike, but before I knew it there was a tug in my gut and the creek exploded, water crashing into us. It knocked down several dracaena, including the one above me. Suddenly, Katie was next to me offering her hand, I took it and she hauled me up; we went back to back. Slowly, the dracaena righted themselves, grabbing their weapons and circling around us.

"Campers coming?" I asked.

"Hell, if I know," Katie said. "I don't know if they even heard me."

"Take 'em all out ourselves?" I asked.

"I'm up for it," Katie replied. "But you have one job."

"What is it?"

"Get Castellan."

I lunged towards a random monster, deflecting a blow and slashing straight through her waist, breaking their ranks and breaking out into a full sprint towards Luke. I looked behind me to see two dracaena had followed and Katie was currently fighting her way through four. Branches and roots had sprung from the floor around her, wrapping the monsters snake legs viciously tight. I turned back towards Luke, noticing now how small he appeared, arms wrapped in on himself; he was shaking. _Damn,_ I thought, _Chiron can't see him like this._ Halfway to him, something caught my foot and I went tumbling to the ground. Looking down at my leg, I could see a root tangled up around it. Rolling my eyes, I looked towards Katie, and watched as she stuck her sword underneath the rib cage of a dracaena; a second later she was showered in dust.

"Really?!" I yelled, cutting it off quickly. I jumped up in time to block one monster's sword and the other's spear.

"It was an accident!" She replied, shrugging at me.

"I don't think so!" I slashed through another monster and kept running, leaving the last to follow me. I'd kill it with the creek, but that thought didn't last long. Rocks had been overturned and disturbed from the first aquatic uproar and my foot caught one, making me tumble to the floor a second time. Before I could get up the monster swung one of her snake legs across me and pinned me to the floor. She lifted her spear high above her head and hissed. I could feel water underneath my palm, I'd just kill her, I'd—

A golden dagger poked through the center of her breast plate and she let out a wail, dropping her spear and as it clattered to the floor next to me she erupted into dust. I coughed from the monster fumes, looking up to see who had saved me. I smiled and wondered why I even had to think about it. There she was, blonde hair wild and eyes angry: Annabeth. She hauled me up and punched me once in the arm.

"You're unbelievable," She said. "We took down the Titan Lord, you can not get killed off by a dracaena, it'll ruin our reputation." I laughed and pulled her in for a kiss.

"I'll try my best, wise ass," I said

"Wise _Girl_ ," She corrected, eyes drifting off to the side, past me, further away—she gasped. "Is that…?"

Fear crashed down on me fast and my eyes scanned around the clearing. Campers had arrived gathering amongst the trees, Chiron was standing just a few feet behind Annabeth with Katie at his side, and I could see Thalia and Nico a few feet behind them. All of them were looking at the exact same thing, the guy trembling on the floor behind me. Without a second thought, I spun on my heels and ran the rest of the way, kneeling down next to him. Annabeth was right behind me, dropping down on his other side, she looked shocked. I watched as her hand reached out to lay on his arm.

"Wait!" I screamed and she jumped back, pulling her hand away.

"Percy, what the Hades?" She yelled back. Regrettably, I ignored her, leaning down to get closer to his face. His breathing was shallow and quiet.

"Luke," I whispered. His head snapped up, eyes boring into mine, and it was as if a trance had been broken. He rolled onto his back, eyes looking every which way, and tried to sit up only to crash back down, gasping for air. His hand shot out, grasping onto my wrist like a lifeline.

"…Percy?" His eyes were wild, drifting from me to Annabeth, me to Annabeth, me to Annabeth— "Annie?"

"Yes…yes, Luke, it's me." She said.

"What am I…I was in the Underworld and then…where are we?" He asked.

"We're at camp," I said.

"C-camp? Wait, am I ALIVE?" He said.

"It appears so…Luke," Chiron said, trotting up to us. "Of course, I'm not sure why, but I can tell you this is without a doubt against the law."

"Like, Thanatos law's? Like, super important Underworld ancient rule breaking law's?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes," He nodded.

"Just checking."

Chiron looked sick. "We can most definetely expect a visit from both him and Lord Hades very soon, other Olympians as well, this is not something that will go unnoticed."

Ice gathered in my chest, wrapping tight around my heart. They could not be here, not all at once, not with Luke like this. "No," I said and Chiron gave me a questioning glance. "I mean, they're not going to come here, why would they? They never do. We have Mr. D here anyway."

"Percy," Chiron started. "I'm sure I don't need to remind you of what Mr. Castellan had done before his passing. A person of his status being miraculously resurrected is no small issue." I gritted my teeth. Dammit.

"Well, shouldn't we get him to the infirmary or the Big House?" I asked.

"Yes," Chiron said. "Campers back to your cabins, Clarisse I need you to—"

Suddenly, Luke's hand around my wrist tensed and he screamed in agony. His chest rose up then dropped down with a thud and he began to thrash; I held him down the best I could.

"Let me go!" He pleaded. "Let me go, please, it's hurting again, please let me go."

"What?" Annabeth asked. "What is it?"

"Everywhere!" He said. "Everywhere but, my leg—my right leg, it's burning." Annabeth sprung into action, grabbing his ankle with one hand and pushing his jean up to his knee with the other. Her eyes went wide and I glanced down to see what was there, even though I already had a pretty good guess. Running down the entire length of his right calf was a caduceus, two snakes intertwined around it, and it was _glowing._ Mesmerized, Annabeth reached out for it.

"No!" I screamed, but it was too late and I watched in horror as her fingertips brushed against his skin. A strangled howl came forth from Luke's mouth and he pushed off the ground, but from nowhere a pair of hands came forth and shoved him back down. He started kicking and I threw myself on top of him, pushing a knee down on his chest. Clamping a hand over his mouth, I whispered to him fiercely, "If you want to stay alive this time, keep your mouth shut."

"Perseus," A voice came from above and my head snapped up. Chiron was standing above us, fear evident on his face, while Thalia stood to his left. Her eyes were shining and her lashes were wet, but there were no tears. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nico pulling up a dazed Annabeth; he must have been the other set of hands.

"Yes, Chiron?"

"You and Nico are going to restrain Mr. Castellan and take him to the infirmary," His tone dropped dangerously low, but as he spoke his voice rang out around the clearing. "And all of our other campers are going to return to their cabins immediately. If I catch anyone breaking the rules, there will be punishments." At his last word, campers scurried away, pulling off their armor as they walked; I could hear the whispers starting already. Katie stepped forward, gaining Chiron's attention.

"Would you like me to fetch Will? I'm sure he wouldn't be obliged to helping, even considering Luke's criminal record."

Chiron didn't even blink, "No, I'm going to tend to the boy myself. You are dismissed, Ms. Gardner." My heart dropped to the very bottom of my stomach at his words, sending a wave of nausea over me. If he was able to examine Luke, he'd figure out what was wrong in seconds. If he realized what was going on, then the gods' would be informed and we wouldn't stand a chance.

"Chiron!" Annabeth yelled, gaining everyone's attention. "I want to help."

"No, you are to go back to your cabin." He said and my mouth dropped. He never denied a request from her. Annabeth seemed to be just as surprised.

"What?" She cried. "That's not right! Chrion, it's Luke! I deserve to be there with him."

"NO," Chiron shouted and she gasped. His eyes turned on me. "You are going to go back to your cabin, Annabeth. I need to talk to these three. Luke was working with their grandfather after all, who knows what his return to the world of the living could mean. Now, please go comfort your siblings. You are head counselor." With angry eyes and a tight lip, Annabeth glanced at each of us before running off. There had been something in her expression that terrified me, but there wasn't a second to spare contemplating it. For the first time in my life, it seemed like Chiron wasn't going to be on my side, no matter how much I hoped; there were some things that even teachers couldn't forgive. With a quick glance at one another, Nico and I hauled Luke to his feet and shoved his hands behind his back. The walk back to camp was painful, listening to him wail the entire time, but there was no way to help him. Thalia's footsteps could be heard trailing behind us but I didn't dare turn my head, Luke's cries weren't enough to break me but Thalia upset definetely would. Once we reached the Big House, Chiron had us tie Luke down on one of the cots, mainly because he wouldn't stop kicking his legs. When we asked him what he wanted to discuss, he simply shooed us away and locked us out.

Oh well to the riveting discuss of Grandpa Kronos we could have had.

"What are we going to do?" Nico asked as we made our way to the front room. I dropped myself onto the old, weathered couch and closed my eyes. Nico sat down on my right and Thalia on my left; she scratched at her circlet absentmindedly as she laid her head against my shoulder.

"I have absolutely no idea," Thalia muttered.

"Same here," I said.

"Real helpful, kiddos," Nico said. "Seriously, what an effort."

"I'm sorry," I said and grinned. "I don't think you've said anything useful yet." He rolled his eyes and his fingers started tapping against his knee repeatedly.

"At least I'm trying to think of something," He mumbled.

"Hey," I said and bumped him with my shoulder lightly. "It's okay for now. We can think of something in the morning." He gave me a look that I assumed was somewhere between angry and petrified, but eventually he gave in and made himself comfortable on the couch, throwing his legs over our laps.

"How lovely," I said.

"You're welcome," He replied and as I watched his eyes close I could feel mine dropping lower. The Big House was always cozy, despite whatever life-threatening event might've been happening at the moment, and it did nothing to help in terms of keeping us alert or awake.

Thalia yawned, "If all else fails, we can just run for it."

"Yeah, a group of traveling, new born gods. Perfect." I said. Behind us, I heard the screen door creak faintly, but Morpheus's realm was no more than a blink away and it was the last thing I remembered before sleep overcame me.

 **·**

Morning, of course, was when the shit hit the fan for real.

"Perseus," Someone said. There voice was gruff and low, and it irritated me immensely. "Perseus Jackson."

"Yes," I mumbled, still half asleep.

"Get up."

"Five more minutes."

"GET UP!" This time the voice was deafening and I could feel the room shake. I jumped and my eyes shot open, in front of me were Chiron and…Mr. D. Quickly, I detangled myself from Thalia and Nico's limbs, to stand in front of them. Chiron looked unreadable, as usual, but Mr. D looked very much not like himself. He appeared younger, taller, more muscular, and was dressed in Greek armor; the bulging, red vein on the side of his neck that popped out whenever he was angry was still there though. I caught his eyes trailing up and down my stature, analyzing different parts of my body, and that's when I realized: Mr. D looked as if he was ready for battle. My palms started to sweat and I reached backwards to shake both Thalia and Nico awake, never breaking eye contact with the camp leaders.

"G-good morning, Chiron," I stuttered. "How's—"

He cut me off. "Luke is the same as last night. He's no longer screaming, but the pain appears to be evident. I tried everything I could, but nothing is helping his condition. It's strange, but…"

"But what?"

"Nothing." Chiron looked me over, then shook his head. "He's still in the infirmary."

"He is," Thalia's voice sounded off behind me, excited and panicked. She hopped off the couch and made it halfway across the room before Mr. D called out.

"Shouldn't you be more concerned with your hunters, Lieutenant?"

Thalia froze and turned towards him, her eyes were brighter than lightning. "I don't know if you recall, Mr. D, but of all people who had history with Luke, I was the one who was unable to say goodbye to him. And I think that I should be allowed more than just a moment with him now, don't you think so?" With that she turned on her heels and continued onward. I gave an apologetic shrug and raced after her, listening to Nico's voice fade as he began to distract both men with pointless conversation. Following her down the hall, I grabbed her arm just as she entered the infirmary and her head whipped around towards me.

"Percy," She started.

"Thalia—"

"No, I'm going to talk to him, alright? We kept each other company during the process, I'm going to keep him company." She said and pushed past me. I watched her kneel besides his cot and thread her fingers through his. Her voice was gentle, "Luke."

"Thals," He croaked. "You don't look a day past sixteen."

She chuckled, "I'm not."

"Thal…do you know what's going on?" His body convulsed against the ropes and I could see her shoulders tense. She leaned down to whisper her in his ear and I walked towards the door—both to give them space and keep watch. Her voice was lighter than the wind, but I could still just make out what she was saying.

"Yes, but I can't explain right now. Luke, you're going to have to listen to me, alright?"

"But Thalia…"

"No, Luke. Please listen. This is too big to understand in a ten minute time span and we don't even have five because I know they're going to burst in here any moment. I'm blocking out Mr. D as we speak and it won't be long before he realizes he can't eavesdrop on us. You need to this for me Luke. We're in trouble and you just need to listen to me until we get out of here, and then I'll explain everything to you. If you don't, bad things will happen, very bad things."

Luke's voice was strained, "Thalia, I'm lost but, as long as I can keep you out of harm's way I'll do anything you say."

"Good, perfect. That's great," Thalia's voice was thick and she paused. I glanced behind to see her wipe at her face and shake her head. When she spoke again, her voice broke. "Luke, I'm so sorry about this. I never would have dreamed that it would've been you, I thought since you were dead…but there's also the others. Huh, I guess I must've just been fooling myself this entire time. Gods, I'm sorry Luke, I wish there was something I could do."

"What are you talking about, Thalia? You don't have to be sorry," Luke laughed quietly to himself. "I wouldn't be surprised if this was a punishment. After all, I deserve it."

"I do have to admit that does sound pretty fitting," I said and abandoned my spot at the door to walk closer to them. "But even you don't deserve something like this."

"Nice to see you, Jackson." Luke's smile was bitter and he shrugged under his restraints, which I noticed were more excessive than yesterday. He had ropes binding both his legs and torso, and I wondered absentmindedly if he'd tried to punch Chiron during the night. "I'm not sure what you mean, but whatever this is, it isn't the worst. The pain has lessened considerably."

"Hate to tell you, but it comes and goes. You might want to brace yourself for more torture."

Thalia stood up, anger etched on her face. "You want to do me a favor and keep your mouth shut, Percy."

"What? I'm just telling the truth."

"Yeah, well the truth isn't pleasant, so let's keep it to a minimum for the time being."

"Oh? More secrets? Thalia, I'm getting sick of this, he's already got the mark. We might as well just be honest with him."

"Did you not just listen to me explain why we can't three seconds ago? How dull are you, Kelp Head? You don't want to test me right now and—"

"Hey," Luke cut in and we both turned to him. "There's no reason to fight guys. After all the pain's been pretty consistent for awhile now. It's nothing like last night, so I can't say I see any torture in my future. Just be cool."

"Be cool, my a—wait a second," I paused. Luke's words played back in my head. "What do you mean by consistent? The pain from last night, when was the last time you felt like that?"

"Uhh, a few hours? Nothing's been too terrible since the early morning. What time is it right now anyway?"

I glanced out the window and saw campers running around. There were people on the lava wall, playing on the volleyball court, and absolutely no one at the dining pavilion. "It's mid-morning. Annabeth's teaching the new campers how to spar and that class ends at ten. I bet they're already done. She's going to be on her way here."

"Luke," Thalia started and she glanced at me. "You said a few hours right? How many hours is a few hours? Since seven in the morning? Four?"

"Why does it matter?" Luke asked.

"Because, like I said, it comes and goes." I walked back over to the door and pressed my ear close to the wood. Nothing. Not even conversation.

"Nico's not here," Thalia said and I nodded. I couldn't sense him anywhere in the building and neither could she. "But we have to get Luke out of here, if it's been too long…it's going to start up again."

"Let's go," I said, pulling Riptide from my pocket. "I'll cut his bonds and throw him over my back."

"Whoa, listen, first I can walk. Second, don't untie me you'll just get in trouble. Everything is fine, the pain isn't bad, just stay calm—" Luke's voice was cut off with a strangled groan and he thrashed back and forth more violently than before. His hands gripped the sides of the cot, knuckles turning white, and a scream erupted from him so loud that it appeared to have came from the very depths of his chest. I heard footsteps rushing down the hall and cursed under my breath, throwing myself against the door. Thalia took a dagger from her side and started cutting at the rope. We looked at one another and an entire conversation transpired in a matter of seconds.

"Jackson," Mr. D growled from outside. "Open the door."

"No!" I yelled. "We don't want you to take Luke away." There was a faint popping noise and suddenly, Mr. D was standing next to me. He pushed me to the side and opened the door for Chiron, who wheeled himself in slowly.

"We're not going to take him away, you imbecile." Mr. D said. "We don't even have the right."

"Than who does!" I screamed and as my outcry faded, from the corner of the room, a bright light grew suddenly and forcefully.

"He does," Mr. D said. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Thalia and Luke look away, and I did the same. When I opened them, standing before us, was Hades and beside him, Hermes. Both of them were wearing armor, but while Hades seemed inherently pissed off, Hermes was sullen. Neither of their expressions calmed my nerves.

"Lord Hades," Thalia and I said simultaneously. "Hermes."

"Spare me the greetings, please." Hades said. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I usually am anyway so it doesn't really matter. To make a long story short, I have to take Luke Castellan back to the Underworld."

"You can't," Hermes said, grabbing his shoulder. "That's my son."

"Your son, the criminal."

"He's only a criminal because of your father."

"Keep quiet about my father or else," Hades growled and Mr. D stepped forward.

"Hey! Cool down," He said and his voice dropped to a whisper, but I heard him anyway. "That's not why we're here to begin with."

"Why are you here?" I asked, unable to stop myself.

"To take Castellan away, obviously," Hades muttered, but his eyes flicked around the room quickly. Too quickly. I could tell he was lying. Thalia still had her knife underneath the last set of Luke's bonds, but as I was about to shout out to her, footsteps sounded off throughout the house and as her voice rang out in the room, panic swept through me.

"Stop!" Annabeth called, running into the room. "Whatever you do, don't take him away!" I gravitated towards her without thinking, wrapping her hand in mine.

"Annabeth," Chiron said. "They have to."

"No, they don't," She protested.

"Annabeth," I whispered, gaining her attention. "How did you know they were here?" She stared at me, eyes glassy and unfocused.

She shook her head, "I, I don't know. I just did, I guess. I had this weird feeling."

"What feeling?" Mr. D asked and my hand tightened around hers.

"I'm not sure, but that doesn't matter." Annabeth said, stepping forward. "What does matter is that you can't take him away."

"We must," Hades said. "This is illegal."

"That's a load of crap!" Annabeth yelled and shock hit everyone throughout the room. I'd never heard anyone speak to Hades like that. "Souls leave the Underworld all the time, there's no reason to take Luke back now. He's not dead and therefore no longer your property. He's staying." Before Hades could reply with what surely was going to be an entire slew of insults, Luke yelled out again, drawing everyone's eyes to him. The caduceus on his calf began to glow faintly and Hermes walk towards him, disbelief painted across his face.

"What is this? Is this…it can't be…"

"It's nothing," Thalia lied. "I don't know what it is."

"Really?" Mr. D laughed. "For some reason, I think you do."

"Hey! You heard her, she said she didn't." I cut in and Mr. D turned to me. His eyes, the deep, amethyst purple that they were, had started to glow the exact same way they did whenever he was angry and he trained them on me. "She, she said she didn't."

"And do you think I'd honestly believe her word alone?"

I tried for mercy, "Mr. D, please—"

"Call me, Dionysus," He growled. My palms began to sweat. "Now, again, do you think I'd honestly believe her?" Deep inside my chest, anger sparked.

"Why wouldn't you? We've all put our lives on the line for you, what reason do you have not to trust us."

"Let me think," Dionysus said, inching closer and closer to me. "You disappear for months on end and come back with one of the strangest explanations I have ever heard, but I pushed it aside because my step-mother has been known to do crazier things than kidnapping teenagers." The room seemed to shrink and I could feel Annabeth's eyes on me. "But then, for weeks—at this point it'll be close to two damn months—I've watched you and your groupies sulk around every morning with headaches. Every other night I'm roused from my sleep because I sense some strange disturbance, something I'm positive you've brought here. Every day I notice how you all seem to excuse yourself from classes, how you avoid contact with others, how you flinch at the slightest touch—don't give me that look, Jackson! I am the God of Madness! I know when people are being driven insane!"

He stopped, eyes darting around the room. "And yet…I have an inkling none of you are as vulnerable as you appear. Something, I don't know, let's say it's my godly intuition, is telling me that you aren't as much a victim as you'd like us to believe. Go on, Jackson, tell me the truth. Tell me I'm wrong."

 _Well, it's not like he's entirely wrong._ The voice rang out clear and cold in my mind, slicing through the tension in the room. A silent prayer flew through my head that only I'd heard him, but as Hades' inhaled sharply across the room, the hope died like an ember suffocating amongst the ashes. A pained expression came over his face, a look of disappointment, and he grimaced.

"He's here. You were right." Hades said, looking to Dionysus. I placed myself in front of Annabeth and prepared for the worst. "The Olympian Council is on their way." Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Thalia lean down to whisper in Luke's ear and without warning she ripped her dagger through the last set of ropes. His body was a blur, jumping from the cot and whizzing through the room in under a milisecond, leaving nothing but a gust of wind in his path. We all stood there, breathless and in shock at Luke's speed, the speed only ever known to that of Hermes; the speed of a god.

Thalia met my eyes and I whispered out the only thing that came to mind, "Run." She bolted from the room in a desperate attempt to catch Luke, and even though I couldn't fathom how she'd catch up to him, I knew she would. Then Dionysus reached out for me.

The moment's after that passed all to quickly.

As his hand closed around my wrist, my gut tightened and I screamed out, fear and anger mixing together in a lethal combination to create a wave of water that pushed forth from the floor. It's roar was louder than my own as it tore through the floorboards, and with a swift motion of my hand I sent it forwards, knocking all three gods off their feet and thoroughly soaking everything in the room. The water receded back into the hole it had just made and Hades words came back to me with sudden ferocity, _The Olympian Council is on their way._

I spun around, ready to run, but Chiron was there in front of the door way. He was clutching the woolen blanket in his lap with tears in his eyes, and as he sat there staring up at us, he seemed to age another thirty years. His voice was shaky, "Perseus…why?"

"Chiron," My voice broke. "I-I'm sorry." With that, I grabbed Annabeth and ran from the room, ignoring his cries to leave her alone, leaver her be, leave her out of made it through the house, but the second our feet hit grass she ripped herself away.

"Percy!" She yelled.

"Annabeth please," I said and I lifted my hands up to cup her face. "You have to listen to me."

She pulled away and took a few cautious steps backwards. "Percy…"

"Please," I cried. Her eyes widened at my dismay and she ducked her head down, shaking it violently.

"Percy," She said, her tone firm, and when she looked up her eyes were hard. "I'm not exactly sure what's going on here, but I can't do anything for you unless I have answers. I've gone to long without them, you _know_ that. I know, you know." Silence stretched between us, unnerving and cold, and as we stood there a breeze came down upon us as if from the heavens themselves. It prompted me to glance upward and regret leeched its way into my heart. On the very horizon I could see dark clouds rolling, their speed unnatural, and down by the lake, naiads could be seen running for shelter; Annabeth noticed it too. She had one hand on her dagger, "Percy, what have you done."

"It's not me!" My voice was panicked. "It's not me, I promise. I swear…it's not me."

"Then why can't you tell me! Give me an answer to all of this." She yelled. Voices sounded off from deep within the house and shuffling could be heard. Both of our heads whipped in it's direction, both of us knew what was coming. I stepped towards her and clamped both hands down on her shoulders.

"Annabeth," I said, staring into her eyes from what I hoped wasn't the last time. "I'll hold off the senior citizens. Go find Clarisse and tell her what's going on, and I promise the next time we see each other I'll tell you everything. I promise, but if you don't listen to me now, there won't be any answers."

A thousand emotions flashed through her eyes as she searched mine, realization, confusion, and fury. Then, of all the things she could have possibly done, she simply nodded; her eyes were piercing. "Okay, but Percy…don't break this promise."

"I won't." With my word, she ran off and disappeared down the wooden steps that led to camp. A wave of relief washed over me as I saw her figure disappear, if only it could have lasted longer. From the house came Hades, his brooding expression a bit more threatening then usual. Once his eyes landed on me, he bolted forward and I tried to run but his hand came down on my shoulder hard; I froze. Slowly, from his palm came a slow burning that seeped through my skin and into bone. I tried my best to ignore the pain, but spoke through gritted teeth. "Get your hand off me."

"Why? Does it hurt? Interesting. I'm surprised you've lasted this long, seeing as," He moved his hand from my shoulder to wrap his arm around my neck faster than I could blink. The pain spread further down my chest. "This is something I'd do to your father. Tell me, why haven't you burned to ash by now?"

A blinding, bright white light shone out across the valley and, even though Hades had me firmly in a chokehold, I could see the rest of the Olympians in the distance, standing atop Half Blood Hill. Briefly, in the back of my mind, I prayed no camper's gaze had fallen towards them upon their arrival. The first Olympian to glance towards us had a trident in his hand and in the next moment, with an audible _pop_ my father was only thirty feet away and striding closer.

"Hades, let him go."

"You're out of your mind, brother." Hades grip only tightened even though I had yet to show any resistance. "I don't care if he's your favorite, it doesn't keep him from hating you."

"I don't hate anyone," I said and wrapped my hands around Hades arm, which had grown to tight round my neck. Poseidon was fifteen feet away now.

"Keep your mouth shut," Hades sneered, then leaned down to whisper in my ear. "If I find out you dragged my son into this, you'll burn in the Underworld for eternity."

"Let him go, Hades. I won't repeat myself again!" Ten feet.

"Too late," I muttered and smashed my foot down on his to break his grip, which barely lessened, but it was enough. My elbow swung back, hitting him right in the gut, and my father and I watched as he flew twenty feet backwards and crashed against the ground.

"Percy," Poseidon had stopped dead in his tracks, only five feet from me, and I froze. His eyes were vicious and ever changing, much like the sea, and it kept me on edge, unable to predict whether or not I was safe. The Olympians could be heard in the distance, their godly voices echoing out in protest at the scene before them, but one shouted out, louder than the rest.

"Detain him!" Zeus bellowed and more _pops_ sounded off behind me. Sweat dripped down my back as my senses picked up two gods stalking towards me, but I didn't dare look. A figure jolted in the corner of my vision and I zeroed in on it. Just to the right of my father, far back in the shadows of the Big House, Nico stood; invisible to all but me. There was a good distance between us but he extended his hand nonetheless. Suddenly, off to the side, Hades called out; he'd spotted him.

"Nico!" Everyone turned their heads in Hades direction, including Nico, but I took that as my moment to bolt and I sprinted for him. The second my foot touched the shadows, he made a grab for me and the next second, we were gone.

 **·**

 **Annabeth:**

Adrenaline was heavy in my veins.

My feet pounded against the flattened grass trail that led down towards the cabins. Kids were running to and fro, completely oblivious to what was happening—whatever _was_ happening. The sun beat down across camp and the air was unbearably humid, making the back of my neck break out in a sweat. My headache from last night had spiked again, pounding against the sides of my head like drums, but this time it had spread to my chest as well. A heavy, constricting ache had settled behind my sternum and it was starting to become painful. Thunder cracked above head and I could see clouds roll over camp blocking out the sun and covering the entire area in shadow. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

 _Clarisse._ The name popped into my head and I remembered what Percy had said, _Clarisse. Find Clarisse._ I pushed myself forward, into the cabin courtyard. The first place I'd look would be the arena, but as I ran past the Ares' cabin, someone stepped out and I collided with them. We both fell to the ground.

"Gods damn it," I knew that voice, it was Clarisse. "What the fuck, Chase?"

Yep, definetely Clarisse. I picked myself up and grabbed her by her shirt, hauling her up. She looked half-mad, half-irritated, but I didn't care. Each breath I took was more labored than the last and sharp pains like daggers had begun to strike through the back of my head. Something told me chaos was about to run rampant around us, it was something deep in my chest, but I couldn't believe it. Not until I had answers, I needed answers. Her shirt wrinkled under my fist and I looked her dead in the eyes.

"What's going on?" I screamed. Clarisse's eyes widened and she tried to pull back, but I wouldn't let her.

"Whoa! Hold up, Chase. What's your issue?"

"What is going on?" I yelled again, shaking her fiercely. She wrapped her hands around my wrists, trying to keep us both in place.

"What are you talking about?" She screamed back.

"I'm talking about Luke coming back to life and that strange tattoo on his gods' damn leg," I stepped away from her and pointed back towards the Big House. "And I am especially talking about two gods appearing in the infirmary who seem to be contemplating throttling my boyfriend—who told me to come look for you by the way!" Clarisse's face paled at my words. She grabbed at my arms and shook me viciously.

"Annabeth, which gods'?"

"What?"

"Which. Gods'."

"H-Hermes," I stuttered. "And Hades. They came to take Luke away."

"Did they?" She seemed calm, but panic lingered in her tone.

"No, Thalia let him out of his bonds. He took off into the forest, he was fast, really fast. And then Percy…" I shook her off, my anger overtaking my patience. "Clarisse! Tell me what's going on."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Pollux run up to us. The sun had lit his golden curls, making it appears as if he had a halo, and I remembered how many campers had jokingly started calling him Michelangelo's real "David" over the past few months. He had bulked up over the years, most of his childhood weight disappearing, and recently most of his days were spent sparring with Clarisse. I remembered, vaguely, that she never did explain to me why Chris and her had broken up. Pollux stopped next to her, threw an arm around her, and kissed her temple.

"Hey, hon," He was smiling, a big grin that spread across his face. I focused back on Clarisse and found her staring behind me; she looked frozen. Pollux didn't noticed. He looked at me and gave a nod. "Hey Annabeth, what's up?"

"Hades is going to beat the shit out of my boyfriend." I said bluntly. His eyebrows scrunched together in confusion and he whispered something in Clarisse's ear, but he kept his eyes on me. The deep hues of purple seemed to be swirling around in his iris' and it made me dizzy; something inside told me to look away, but I couldn't. What was happening, what was he doing with—

The world slanted sideways and Clarisse unfroze in time to catch me before my face planted itself into the ground. She braced me against her chest and I grasped at her, desperately trying to steady myself, but my legs wouldn't comply.

"Pollux!" Her tone was harsh.

"What?" He said, "That wasn't me, I swear. I wasn't even trying."

"Wasn't trying to do what?" I asked and watched as they both turned to look at me, then one another. An unspoken conversation went on between them and I blinked twice, trying to diffuse the throbbing that had yet to disappear. Pollux nodded and I could feel Clarisse's arm wrap around me, one behind my back and the other went to the back of my knees. I scrambled from her grasp.

"NO!" I threatened. "You are NOT hauling me out of here."

"Annabeth," Pollux started. "Listen—"

"Pollux," Clarisse stopped him. "Go find Katie, I can handle her. Meet me back here, we won't leave the courtyard." Pollux glanced at her for a moment, before nodding and running off. Her eyes turned on me and she gave me a menacing scowl; I rolled my eyes. "Alright. Listen here, Owl City, I'll answer any gods' damn questions you want, but we've gotta get out of here first, ok? I don't think you want your boyfriend in a body bag, so please for once, take your fatal flaw and shove it up your ass!"

A wave of energy surged through me and my fist flew for her face, anticipating the satisfying crunch that would come with her broken nose, but her hand shot out and caught it midair. Within seconds she had my arm twisted round my back and was hauling me towards the center of the courtyard.

"Stop struggling," She grunted.

"No!" I yelled, swinging blindly with my other arm. The world started spinning and a sudden wave of nauseous hit me, making me pitch forward, but Clarisse kept me on my feet.

"Chase, you're really off your game."

"Unfortunately, you're right," I said. "But just count yourself lucky I have a headache. You'd be toast otherwise." Clarisse's grip slackened and I ripped myself from her grip, backing up against the fountain.

She looked scared again, "Wait, a headache? Did you tell Percy? How bad is it?"

"What does it matter?" I screamed, loud enough to draw several campers from their cabin. "I'm sick of this! Who cares about a headache? Tell me what's going on!"

"Annabeth," Clarisse cautioned. "Don't exert yourself like that. You might set it off."

"Set what off?" My throat started to burn with each breath I took, but my voice continued to grow in volume. "Tell me what I'm setting off and maybe I'll shut up! I hate this! These secrets are driving me insane! _Tell me!_ "

Pain hit me harder than an avalanche, seemingly coming from all angles, shooting through my skull and straight down my spin. I clutched at my head, letting a piercing scream wrack its way through my body as I dropped to floor. My eyes were burning and the world went blurry, but I could see figures begin to crowd around me. Clarisse was at my side within seconds.

"Stay away from her," She yelled and the campers backed away. "Annabeth, are you alright? Don't worry, we're going to get out of here okay? I've got this under control." I tried to reply but my lips wouldn't move, I could barely breath, I felt like I was suffocating. Tears poured out hot, burning my skin as they ran down my cheeks and I shut my eyes. _Crying in front of everyone,_ I thought. _Great move, Chase._ The darkness that came with the back of my eyelids didn't help in the slightest, symbols of all sorts flew across my mind. Numbers, letters, runes, and shapes from every culture in the world, going back centuries upon centuries—wait, how did I even know they were that old? Some of these were part of dead languages, extinct civilizations, lost teachings; there was no way anyone could know this, not even me.

"Get your filthy, traitorous hands off of my daughter." A voice said, it was regal and elegant, yet malice and anger still seemed to leak into their words. I knew them within seconds.

"Mom," I choked out, opening my eyes against my better judgement. She was standing off to the side, clad in battle armor with the original Aegis strapped to her left arm. Clarisse trembled next to me as she gazed upon its face, but her grip only grew tighter around me.

"Not on my life." She said.

"I can't believe what you vile children have done," Athena said, eyes growing dark. Her words were like venom, I'm glad they weren't aimed at me. "And to drag my Annabeth into the mix, it's just horrid. Well, I won't have it. Hand her over this instant."

"Over my dead body." Clarisse's breath had begun to quicken and I wondered, briefly, if she was having a panic attack.

"That can be arranged," Another voice sounded off, along with a small pop but a moment later, and Clarisse went rigid. Suddenly, her arms disappeared from around me and she was hefted into the air, legs kicking. Above me stood Ares, the fireballs in his eyes smoldering brighter than I had ever seen before. Clarisse struggled against him as he held her up by her throat and I finally realized what was wrong; she was utterly terrified. "You know, Clarisse, I thought you were going to be great. I thought you were the one, but you're just as disappoint as the rest. If not more."

"Let go," I cried. "Let go of her. She's done nothing to you!"

"Shut up, Chase."

"Annabeth," My mother's voice grew soft as she kneeled next to me. Her hands were gentle as they pulled me close to her. Feeling had slowly worked its way back through my body and I was able to move myself to an extent, but with mobility came more pain. My fingers clawed around the rim of her breast plate and pressed weakly, she got the message. "Annabeth, please don't put up a fight. You're innocent, we'll take care of you back on Olympus."

"What?" I asked, searching her eyes for a hint, a clue, anything that would let me know not everyone had absolutely lost their minds. "Mother, everyone is innocent. They've done nothing wrong."

She looked distraught, which was a first. "Annabeth, I've always admired your optimism, but I can't keep the truth from you just to preserve your hope. Perseus Jackson has betrayed the Gods, him and his cousins have made us their enemy."

"Don't listen to her, Annabeth!" Clarisse choked out, but Ares only tightened his grip. Her face had darkened to a dusty red.

"Let her go! She's not doing anything to you!" I screamed and another wave of pain swept through my mind. I clutched my skull as my mother's words ran around in my head. _Perseus…Percy betrayed…his cousins….that meant Thalia too…Nico…it wasn't possible._ None of this made sense and my body seemed to be taking the repercussions, burning from my temples to the very tips of my toes. It was a struggle to keep from screaming, the more I held it in the more it hurt. I gasped, "Mom please, please make it stop. Tell me you can, please."

"I will try, Annabeth," She pressed a hand to my forehead. "But we must go first."

"N-no, I'm not going to leave camp. I can't leave them, I won't." To the side, Ares grunted and the next moment, from the corner of my eye, I could see him fly backwards. Clarisse thumped to the ground next to me, gasping for air.

"Annabeth," She cried. "I can't fight them, I'm not—please, you have to help me."

"I can barely move. I can't."

"And she won't," Athena said and hoisted me up in her arms, turning on her heels to walk back towards the Big House. She was warm, despite her cold armor, and it pained me as I realized this was the first time she had ever held me. The worst part was, it wasn't the least bit comforting. I looked backed towards Clarisse to see Ares regain his footing and from his side he pulled his sword. Clarisse jumped to her feet, but as Ares charged at her she froze once again and I watched in horror as he came closer, closer, closer—suddenly, from the ground two vines sprung and wrapped around Ares wrists, stopping him in his tracks. Athena spun around, grip even tighter than before, and my eyes searched frantically until they found their target. At the corner of the quad, Katie and Pollux stood, eyes focused intently on the god and with a groan the vines shot upwards, dragging Ares along with them. They spun once, twice, and on the third spin he was flung high into the sky; the last thing I could see was his body descending somewhere in the distant, among the trees.

"Hey Athena!" Clarisse had made short of the distance between us and the next thing I knew, she had taken the blunt of her blade and smashed it against my mother's helmet, ripping me away from her in the process. I wrapped my arms around Clarisse as she dragged us back towards the fountain, Katie and Pollux were at our side within seconds. Another wave of nausea came over me and the world went blurry once more, I cried out in fear of what was to come.

"It's happening again," I said. "It hurts, my arm. My head!"

"What do we do?" Pollux said.

"Pollux, get your ass over here right now!" Dionysus yelled. I could see blurry figures moving quickly down the hill, each of them shimmering slightly. They had to be the other Olympians.

"We need to leave." Katie said.

"Not without Percy!" I screamed and grasped my head as the pain hit my temples not a second later.

"Where is he?" Clarisse asked, shoving her arms underneath me as I was again hoisted up bridal style. Being incapacitated from pain was getting real old real fast.

"I don't know, but we can't hold them off forever," Katie said, with a certain glint in her eye and slowly she extended her palms outwards, facing the earth. Roots, vines, and stems of all sorts ripped their way out of the ground and began to encase us. "We need to—"

"Hey!" Someone bellowed and my breath caught, my eyes cleared; that could only be one person. Everyone turned in time to see two people come charging into the quad, Percy and Nico. They both stopped short, eyes scanning the area, and a small smile appeared on my face as I took him in; he was okay. My vision drifted to the side and I noticed that something was wrong with Nico, he looked…older. Finally, they saw us, but the second Percy's gaze landed on me his face scrunched up as if he was in pain.

"Both of you get over here now!" Katie screeched as a vine shot forth from the sphere she had made to deflect a row of arrows that had come our way. Both of them dashed towards us and as they ran, the fountain exploded, flinging marble every which way as the water rose up, blocking the Olympians from us.

"Katie, you better make it dark in there real quick!" Nico yelled. They were so close.

"Pollux," Katie said, her tone harsh and demanding. Pollux barely even nodded, but in the next moment grape vines sprung forth, wrapping around Katie's makeshift sphere and growing at an astonishing speed. The branches thickened and from them sprouted flowers, leaves, and bunches of grapes, blocking out every ounce of sunlight until we were shrouded in darkness. The only light left was what streamed in through the last opening of the sphere, "Boys!"

"We're coming!" They both yelled.

What happened in the next few moments was entirely too much for my headache riddled head to react too. A roaring noise went off, which I could only assume was the water crashing down, and Percy and Nico came charging through the opening. It closed up just in time to block a hurtling ball of black fire, but once it hit the branches started to crack and splinter. There were hushed whispers, muffled screaming, a gentle kiss on my forehead and then an even gentler whisper of, "I'm so sorry." There were so many questions I had, but before I could even open my mouth, the world seemed to give out from under us and were were moving through the shadows. The wind snaked around us, the cold made my skin burn, and everything was so much darker than before.

The fatigue I had been so wholeheartedly ignoring finally caught up to me and I decided, just this once, I'd keep my eyes closed.

 **·**

 **Thalia:**

Wind whipped against my face as I chased Luke through the country side. We'd left camp ages ago and I'd almost lost him several times, having to dodge in between orchards and jump over fences, rocks, and road signs. Every so often I'd fly close to the ground, just to keep up with him. He was faster than any of us could have predicted and pain shot through my legs every time my foot dug into the ground. We ran and ran and ran until the ocean came into view once again. He stopped abruptly, gazing downwards, and I noticed he'd reached a cliff's edge. I called out to him as I caught up, hoping he wouldn't take off again.

"Luke!" His head snapped in my direction.

"Thalia," He breathed, eyes scanning me from top to bottom, then darting to the left, right, past me, above me; he was checking, checking for anyone else who might be near. I wanted to say something, calm his nerves, make sure he wouldn't bolt again, but as I stood there, lungs burning, my legs finally gave out on me and I crumpled to the ground. He rushed to my side, "Thalia."

I brushed him off, "It's fine, I'm—I'll be fine, I've just never run that fast—I mean the Hunters, we run but, that was too fast. I don't—I couldn't keep up, Luke how did you…"

He seemed to take a step back, mentally that is, staring down at himself, at his trembling hands. Then suddenly, he took another step back, physically this time, and inhaled sharply. His hands came up to thread through his hair and grasp his skull; his breath quickened.

"Luke…" I started, keeping still on the ground.

"Kronos…" He said and I thought he'd figured it out, but that wasn't the case. "The war…Ethan and Annabeth, she got thrown…I pushed her, but I didn't mean to…I swear, it was him the entire time, it was terrifying, I can't believe I…"

"Luke that doesn't matter right now. We need to deal with that later."

His head whipped towards me, "Thalia, yes it does…of course, it does! He made me…I did…oh fuck, oh gods, I'm so sorry, Thalia. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I can't even remember half of it, oh my gods, once Atlas got involved…I couldn't—it wasn't what he said would—that bastard, if I had five seconds in a room with him I'd just…Thalia I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry I don't know what I could ever do, why am I even here I shouldn't be here, we need to go back, we need to tell Chiron that I have to—"

"Luke!" I yelled, putting an end to his rambling. His mouth closed, opened, then closed and he paused. "Shut up, you're irritating me." I raised my arms towards him, "Help me up, I think I'm okay now." His hands grasped mine tightly and he yanked me up.

"We need to go back," He said. "Thalia, I shouldn't be here, I don't deserve to be—"

"Luke, please shut up for five seconds," I cut him off again and this time, he stayed quiet. "Now, if you do want to bring up the matter of your horrible decision making skills instead of letting me try to explain what's happening, then I guess I'll just do what I had planned to do if you had survived that day."

I slapped him. Hard. And with a little shock, just for fun. He looked at me, hand caressing his cheek, and voiced his complaints. I slapped him again, the other side, this time maybe just to piss him off.

"OW!" He repeated, but my neutral expression didn't waver.

"You deserved that," I said simply. He pondered it for a moment, then nodded solemnly. "But you don't deserve to die. At least, not again." Before he could object, I placed my hand over his mouth and kept going, "Luke, you would have gotten one hell of a trial, and you would've probably been stuck scooping up Cerberus' shit for the rest of eternity, but they wouldn't have killed you. They're more likely to kill us now."

Luke gave me a questioning gaze and I considered what I'd said, "I mean, it's not more likely. They're definetely going to try and kill us…but we still don't deserve it." Slowly, he removed my hand from his face and after a moment's hesitation, he let it drop back to my side.

"Thalia, what do you mean?" He asked. "You've done nothing. What happened during the Battle of Manhattan is vastly different than whatever—"

"Well, this time the gods' are more vulnerable than before, and seeing as they value their lives more then ours…it's just about the same, and when they find us they're going to…" My hands had started to shake and images flashed through my mind. Old ones and new ones, from the months in my cell to the months afterwards, the nightmares, the explanations, the fear; I took a shaky breath. Luke was looking at me expectantly. My mouth felt like it was full of sand, "Okay…Luke, have you ever heard of _Lethafora Anathema?"_

He stepped back suddenly, his voice dropped to a whisper. "Thalia, how do you know that name?"

"Why? Why'd you step back? Do you know that name?"

"Thalia," He choked out. "I owe you so many explanations, but I'm pleading with you. Tell me first." I hesitated and absentmindedly started picking at my nails.

"Alright, listen Luke, the curse…well, first off to let you know it's a cruse. At least, that's what we believe so far. Some things about it are amazing, but others are terrifying…and I know that because, um, because they…"

"They what?" He asked, but I couldn't finish. I stared at him, mouth screwed shut, and as we stood there I could see the realization his his face. "Wait, Thal, no…no please no, not you. Did they do that to you?"

"Did what?" My voice was harsh. "What do you know?" He shook his head and walked towards the cliffs edge, mumbling things to himself. I stalked after him, panic rising in my chest, and grabbed him by his shirt. "Do you know something, Luke? Tell me! You have no idea how important this is! Tell me right now!"

Luke was pale, "In the beginning, when I was still trying to convince him to take his own form, when I still had control over myself, he told me about this spell of sorts. I…We might need to sit down for this."

High up above, thunder rolled across the sky and down below, waves could be heard crashing ferociously against the rocks. I gulped, "There's no time. They know and they're coming for us, we have to get out of here. We have to hide."

"Hide where?"

"I know a place," I said and slowly, a familiar smile etched its way onto my face. "You know, looks like we're back where we started. A bunch of loners, on the run again." His expression matched mine for a moment, before worry worked its way through his brow.

"But you're not a loner, Thalia," He said. "You're a hunter. There are people that need you."

"Oh, right, about that." Ever so gently, I reached atop my head and lifted the circlet from where it lay on my tresses. Bringing it down before me, I examined it thoroughly. The swift curves of the metal created intricate patterns, with small glittering stones nestled here and there; the entire piece glowed faintly. At the very center a moonstone shone brightly, just a bit more then the rest and my gaze focused in on it. For months after my initiation into the Hunters, I'd worn this with pride and I'd worn it well, then we'd all been captured and I'd kept it hidden, wrapped in a cloth at the bottom of a stolen backpack. Ever since we'd returned, it just didn't hold the same weight in my heart or on my head either, it no longer belonged to me. Taking a deep breath, I moved both hands to the center, "I'm not a hunter anymore, I haven't been for a long time." Both my thumbs pushed downwards and I snapped the circlet in two. The moonstone shattered to pieces and the circlet followed in pursuit, turning to stardust in my hands.

I grimaced, "It always belonged to Phoebe anyway."

"You just, you did…"

"Yeah, I did." I said and pulled up the sleeve of the windbreaker I had worn the previous night to reveal my right forearm. I tapped two fingers on my skin and muttered some Greek to diffuse the heavy mist I had set up around it so long ago. "Luke, you've missed quite a few things."

Slowly, the mist cleared, and Luke gasped as the inky lines appeared across my skin once again, stretching all the way up to my elbow. Hues of blue, green, brown, and gold fanned out to form two peacock feathers, both plunged down to have their tips intercross at my wrist. A stormy night sky spread out behind them and lightning raced upwards, to dance around the feathers. The image solidified and stilled, and I knew there it would stay for a long, long time.

"Wow, uh, nice tatt." Luke said, still wide eyed. "Why does it have both of the, um?"

"I'll explain later." I said. "But don't freak out, there's one more thing I have to do." He looked me over and took a step back. I rolled my eyes, then shut them tight and put all my energy towards calming my breath. The powers we had been given so long ago were still wild and overbearing, but overtime we'd gathered a shaky control that had aided us in our return. As my breathing slowed, the energy sparked deep within my chest and seeped through my veins. Ever so gently, I focused on my body and I could feel it begin to shift. Muscles pulled taught at the sudden change, my bones cracked quietly, and I could feel myself grow taller. As usual, just when I thought everything would snap back like a rubber band, a chill ran through my limbs and converged in my chest. I took a deep breath and let the pleasant ache, that was akin to one you'd receive after a good workout, linger in my bones. When I opened my eyes, everything seemed brighter than before.

"Thalia!" Luke had gone pale. "You're, you're…"

"Older?" I asked.

"Yeah," He squeaked out. "A lot older."

"Hey, I'm only a few years older than Annabeth and Percy, it's not that much. There are some others still older than me."

"But you're not…you're not, how old were you again?"

"Fifteen, but I don't feel fifteen." Memories of months on the run flashed through my mind; it had been the strangest time of my entire life. "Luke, this curse gives you everything. Anything you could ever dream of, it's there and it doesn't go away. You'll be able to change your appearance to once you learn to control it."

"I still don't understand, Thalia. How? This shouldn't be possible."

"And yet, here we are. Trust me, no one needs to worry about me looking a few years older." I paused as a memory came back to me in vigorous detail. "You know, when Nico got the curse, his body went berserk and turned him into like, frat boy status. When we escaped, it took him a whole week to figure out how to change back."

"Escaped?" Luke asked. I shook my head and waved my arms frantically.

"Never mind, I'm getting ahead of myself. Besides, after what I've been shown, I just don't feel young anymore, Luke. I know too much. Some things you can't unsee, some things age you."

"I don't know what you're talking about and I'm not sure if I understand, but Thalia, if you keep dropping the mysterious, attention-gripping statements, I'm going to panic."

"I told you, I'd tell you." I said and stared him down. "And you're going to to tell me about the curse, right?"

"Of course."

"Good," I breathed a sigh of relief and pulled my windbreaker back over my arm. Glancing upwards, I could see the sky had grown to an ominous grey and my nerves shot off. I took Luke's hand without a second thought and dragged him towards the edge of the cliff.

"Hold up, what's going on?"

"I told you we have to hide."

He gazed upon the horizon, than pointed out to sea. "What, we're gonna fly? You're not afraid of heights anymore either?" I laughed, a light and breezy laugh that I'd only ever known when I was with Luke.

"No," I said smugly. "There are still some things about me that haven't changed, but we're still using the sky. Just…a different form of transportation."

"And that is?"

"Don't worry about it, just hold my hands. I don't want you getting electrocuted." Before he could protest, I gripped his other hand and let my power surge up through my heels and straight up my spine. Lightning struck us where we stood, it circled around us, clung to us, and in an instant, we were gone.

How's that for a light show, Dad.

 **.**

 **Percy:**

The shadows cleared around us and we stepped out onto sandy turf. We stood at the outskirts of an empty beach, under the shade of several trees, and scanned the horizon. I had taken Annabeth in my arms, much to Clarisse's dismay, and with each passing moment, I could feel the curse pulsing through her veins. A glimmering image had started to etch itself into her left forearm, but it was still to early to see what it was. I pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and started making my way across the beach, with everyone trailing behind me. Nico had been wiped out from the amount of people he shadowed traveled and Katie and Pollux supported him as we walked. When we reached the water, a figure shimmered in the distance, and the mist that had been set up so very long ago cleared to reveal an island. It was planted amongst the waves about a mile out at sea, with a rocky cliff face that rose up one end, taller than half the buildings I'd seen in New York. Although it couldn't be seen from here, I already knew what awaited us, a structure more grand than any of our parent's old temples. A place where we'd be able to hide in peace. A place that would keep us safe, until the gods' found us.

* * *

lmao wow look five months later and i post the second (first) chapter, that's just fantastic, look's like nothing has changed for my writing technique

as always, if you've made it to this point, thank you so much for reading and i really hope you enjoyed it!

p.s. i am lowkey very proud of myself for having over 13k in one chapter alone. like? i didn't even know i could write that much

p.p.s. all comments, reviews, and favs are appreciated!


	3. Annabeth Isn't Having It

guess who's baaaacckk!

it's me! so sorry for the extended time between updates, but it seems like that's how long it takes for me to finish a chapter, hopefully over time i can get it down to two months, or even one

summary: everyone's a mess, including the olympians, and someone finally gets a well deserved punch

psa: notes at the bottom

i hope you enjoy!

* * *

Annabeth:

The last thing I could recall, was a jumble of voices, scattered shuffling, and being lain down atop a cot. Then—it was chaos.

My body scrunched up into a tight ball and with both hands gripping onto my head for dear life, I screamed wholeheartedly between my knees, the ferocity rocking my entire frame. Information of every sort flew through my head, each new piece sending another spike of ice slamming itself into my skull. Breathing no longer came easy, gasping is what I had been reduced to, trying to catch my own breath every other second. The pain had traveled throughout my body, seeping into my very bones and each time it lessened, the anticipation that gathered in my chest made the next wave ten times worse. Someone pressed a cool cloth up against my forehead, but it only sent a shock through my body and I lashed out at them, screaming in dismay. I didn't care, they could deal with it, everything hurt. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt, and it wouldn't stop.

"Annabeth," He whispered. My hand reached upwards automatically and although he held it gently, my fingers tightened viciously around his hand; I already knew who it was. "Annabeth, can you talk?" I nodded, but there was no way I was going to talk like this. After several moments of silence, he spoke again. "…Do you want to?"

I shook my head into the sheets and a sob wracked through my body. Great, perfect timing. _Pathetic, Annabeth, just pathetic._ Somewhere off to the side, a feminine voice sounded off and I inhaled sharply, my hand tightening around his. He didn't seem to understand.

"Annabeth…what is it?"

It would have been so simple to tell him, but I couldn't speak. My voice would crack, I wouldn't dare let it crack. The voice didn't speak for awhile, and I waited and waited and waited until, "Percy, where is that crate with the ambrosia? Katie needs it." The voice sounded off again and this time, I recognized it but couldn't place the name. It didn't matter though, that wasn't important right now. Just like before, I squeezed Percy's hand tight, except now I pulled the sheet to cover myself as well. He understood.

"Oh, okay, of course." He said and cleared this throat. "Guys, she doesn't want anybody around. At all."

"But can't I—" Another voice could be heard. Then a faint thud. "Ow! No need to hit, Clarisse." A chorus of hushed whispers sounded off, all bantering with one another, as people stood up and shuffled out. I cringed under the sheets, how many people had there been watching me? Stinging spikes shot up my spin and I bit into the mattress to keep myself quiet. Only when the room grew silent did I take a breath and cough out my discomfort. The hand that had held mine loosened slightly and I ripped the sheets off me, reaching out blindly. He took my other hand in his own and pressed a kiss to each, tightening his grip just like before.

"I'm sorry," He said. "I thought you meant everyone. I won't leave, I'll never leave."

"Percy," I gasped, my throat aching.

"Annabeth?"

"It _hurts_."

He was silent for a long time. "I know. I know."

More words bubbled up but I swallowed them back down, it was just to painful. I couldn't do anything. I was helpless. His voice played over and over in my head, _I know, I know, I know, I know._ He knew? This had happened to him? How? Waves of heat crashed over me, making my skin burn, and I kicked at the sheets, desperately pushing them away. My head kept screaming to ask for help, ask for an answer, ask for ambrosia, but I knew it'd do no good. An unsettling pressure, white hot and burning, had settled itself in my head and my chest. It told me that nothing could stop this, nothing would ease the pain, and I believed it. This….power had my full trust ever since it appeared and there wasn't a single doubt in my mind that it could be wrong; it was terrifying.

The pressure grew and grew and grew until it felt like ribs were breaking and my skull would shatter, but instead of broken bones, another round of information hit. Symbols, languages, equations, images, hitting me faster than before. I cried out, my fingernails digging into his hand, but his grip held firm. Whispers appeared from seemingly nowhere, snaking up my neck and kissing at the shell of my ear. They spoke of things that had happened, of long held secrets, of endless wisdom. My eyes flicked back and forth behind my eyelids, staring at absolutely nothing and yet everything at the same time. The entire world was spread out in factoids across my vision, all of it blurring together in a mess of color. An unbearable itch spread out along my left forearm and I ripped my hand from his to claw at it viciously. Percy took it back gently and rubbed circles into my palm as if to say, don't. Sweat broke out across my brow and I resigned myself to lay there, taking deep breaths and just waiting for the onslaught to finally cease.

When it did, I was so ready to be relieved, but a horrible feeling in my gut told me to think otherwise. Pain had settled in my core, letting a terrible ache extended through my limbs. Just when I thought that my instincts might be wrong, a spark ignited like fire in my heart and that's when the real knowledge hit me. The colorful world that had grown inside my head was swallowed whole by darkness as I fell unconscious. My last coherent thought was that finally, I'd have peace.

Oh, how wrong I'd been.

 **.**

Thalia:

We landed on sand, with the ocean extending out in all directions and as the sea breeze hit us, I knew we were in the right place. I once had had an incident that involved a forest fire and two terrified hikers, but thankfully, we weren't repeating that today. Luke spun around, squinting his eyes from the glare of the sun.

"Where are we?"

"I told you we had to hide, didn't I?"

"What? Are we going to hide in the ocean?" Luke asked. "Does Percy have a secret man cave down there?"

"Hey! Don't get snarky with me." I said. "There is always the option of leaving you stranded."

"Well, I'm not going to say anything to that 'cause I'd be helpless without you right now."

"Much better," I smiled.

"Sooo, how will we go about hiding?"

"You'll see," I nodded out towards sea. "Kronos might have tried to render us helpless, but we're a lot stronger than he thinks. We—Luke!" Halfway through my sentence, he'd doubled over and fell to his knees. He cried out deafeningly, digging his hands into the sand, then steadied his breathing and fell silent. I grabbed his face, "Wha—are you still in pain? You were still in pain?" He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

"No, I mean yes, but it's fine," He said weakly. "The running kept some of the pain at bay and then it was just there, in the background. I thought it was going away, like I said it wasn't that bad, I got used to it." I rolled my eyes and stepped behind him to hook both my arms underneath his and lift him up.

"You're unbelievable," I said, dragging him across the sand. "It is that bad. It's more than bad, stop being brave."

"Just in case you don't remember, the Titan King clawed his way into my body and possessed my very soul. I'm pretty sure I can handle it."

"Oh yeah," I spit back mockingly. "You can handle it, that's why I'm hauling your immobile ass around right now. Because you can definetely handle the pain."

"You make me feel so warm and fuzzy inside."

"I better," As we neared the water's edge, I could see the mist clear to reveal a portal that would take us across the water and to the island. The edges of it shimmered against the sea mist, casting rainbows across the water, but before we could reach it a wave surged up, dousing out the portal and nearly drenching us both. I hauled Luke backwards just in time, but tripped over his legs and went tumbling down myself.

"What was that?" He asked.

"I don't know, it only does that when—" My words were cut short as a memory came back to me, of when we had first created the barriers. Percy's words rang out in my head, _Okay, remember if anyone is around that isn't one of us, a wave will wash away the portal. You're gonna have to find another way in._ A crack rang out along the beach, like a whip in the hands of a jailer, and a blinding light surged across the area; we both closed our eyes. I didn't even need to open mine to know who it was, his presence hit me like a freight train, filled with power, fury, and hatred. I looked over at Luke, he was staring behind me, at the figure stalking towards us. My words were quick and hushed, "I'm going to send you through alone, like we just did before. Don't move or you'll be shocked. When you land, run as fast as you possibly can and—"

"Thalia—"

"Get help."

Luke's body disappeared in a flash of electricity and I shoved myself off the ground, spinning around to face the god who had followed us. Lightning circled around me viciously, storm clouds appearing from thin air and thunder boomed at a deafeningly level; he stopped dead in his tracks. "Don't you fucking dare come near me!"

Zeus stood but five feet away, jaw set tight, clouded eyes mimicking my own. There was a faint buzzing in the air, the type you'd hear around an energy plant, and I knew that although I couldn't see them, he had hundreds of bolts ready to strike. I stared him down.

"I saved you and this is what you decided to do with your life," His words felt like poison and I cringed. He took another step forwards and lightning lit up the sky; he paused.

"I said don't move!" My heart was pounding all too loud, adrenaline coursed through my veins. "And I don't think you can all what you did as saving. If you saved me I would've been able to grow up in Camp Half-Blood. If you saved me I wouldn't have had to deal with mother! You didn't save me, I saved myself!"

"You ungrateful, little brat!" He charged at me and I let the lightning loose towards him, but he dodged it and disappeared. Two seconds later he reappeared in front of me and grabbed me by the shirt, hauling me into the air with both hands. His mistake—I dug my nails into his forearms and sent electricity surging through his body. Had I done this a year ago it would have done nothing, but now it effected him enough to cry out and drop me. Before he could recover, I braced myself against the sand and shoved my foot upwards as hard as I could, kicking him straight in the groin. He dropped to the floor, hands on his crotch, and I scrambled off the ground. My stomach was doing somersaults and with sweat was pooling down my back, I took off into the air and awaited his next attack. There was no way to get into the island without revealing it to him. The only thing left to do was wait.

From below, a string of Ancient Greek curses sounded off—some of which I couldn't even understand—and lightning flew past me, just grazing my shoulder. I bit back a scream.

 _Hurry Luke, please._

 **.**

Luke:

The second my body hit the ground, I started running. My feet dug into the sand, sharp spikes shooting through my body with each step I took, but my only goal was to get Thalia help. The speed that had overcome me before was nowhere to be found. I ran aimlessly, slower than I ever had in the past, until my eyes landed on a structure in the distance and I stopped altogether. It was about half a mile away, herculean in size and seemed to be made of several buildings stuck together, but the very front reminded me of a Greek temple. There were six pillars lined across the front and the roof gently slopped upwards to create a triangle. I wasn't able to inspect it any further, because the second my eyes landed on the entrance, my body jolted forward and I was running straight towards it. The doors came towards me startlingly fast and my entire head was once again screaming, _Help! Find Help!_

I formulated a plan quickly, almost out of reflex, but the second I ripped the doors open my body collided with another. We both flew back and I skidded against the marble floor, coming to a stop a few feet outside. The sun beat down on my back and I tried pushing myself back up but it was no use, the pain was back in full swing and a deep pressure had started to wind up in my chest; I cringed at what that had come to mean. Someone was at my side, turning me over onto my back. He had black hair, tied back in a bun, and onyx eyes. I noticed there was a sword strapped to his side, it was a dark metal, stygian iron. Holy Hermes, this was Nico Di Angelo. He was trying to speak to me, but I surged upwards and grabbed him by the shoulders, cutting him off.

"Nico," I croaked. "Thalia's out there. With Zeus. She wouldn't let me help. Please, go."

His eyes searched mine, then the horizon and his expression grew dark. I let go of him, collapsing against the ground, and my vision went blurry. Nico was shouting, for help and for others, then suddenly he stepped away and I could hear something, like the swoosh of fabric waving in the air. Pain overtook me entirely yet again, but the last coherent thought I could muster was _let her be safe, please let her be safe._

 **.**

Thalia:

I hit the ground for a third time, mind reeling from Zeus' lightning strike. My entire body ached but the second he flew into my line of vision I scrambled off the floor and launched myself into the air. He was high up, storm clouds gathered around him and as I stopped only fifteen above the ground, he laughed. It was loud, like thunder, and made my ears pop.

"You try to take my power and yet you're still afraid of heights?" He yelled. "Pathetic!"

I grit my teeth and glared at him from below, "I didn't try to take anything, Dad!" Thunder cracked through the air and I darted to the side, avoiding the bolt just before it could hit me. Zeus shouted out in frustration and his master bolt sounded off like a whip, sending another volt towards me. I spun in midair, reached out for the volt and sent it arcing right back towards him. He dodged it easily, body turning around, eyes following the electricity as it flew into the clouds—I couldn't help the smirk that grew on my face. My chest tightened, a spark igniting deep in my stomach, and I watched in satisfaction as a bolt hit him from above, sending him plummeting into the water. Laughter shook my frame and I keeled over in mid-air. "Ha ha! Take that, you old geezer!"

 _Thalia_ , Nico's voice sounded off in my head. I spun around frantically, scanning the beach. _The trees. Your 2 o'clock._ My eyes landed on him, crouching behind a tree trunk, body half composed of shadows.

 _You're a lifesaver, skullhead._

 _I know. Let's get out of here._

Suddenly, the wind whipped passed me and I turned in to see a bolt hurtling straight towards me. My hands shot out in a desperate attempt to block it, but it shot forward and grazed my side. Pain spread across my skin and I cried out in protest, plummeting towards the ground only to pull up at the last moment. My legs crumbled beneath me and I clenched my jaw, hand reaching up to cradle my side. Nico was a few strides away, motioning frantically for me to come forward as he stared past me. I could sense my father coming closer and with a deep breath, I pushed off the sand and ran, collapsing in his arms. Then we vanished in a cold whirlwind.

When we reappeared, my knees buckled against the stone floor, but Nico hooked both arms underneath mine and hauled me upright. I leaned on a nearby table and pressed my hand more firmly against my side, hissing at the pain. Warm liquid began to seep through my finger and I risked a glance down. Great, blood.

"Damn, we need to get you to the infirmary." Nico said, wrapping an arm me. I leaned against him and slowly, we started walking down a corridor. The walls were black stone and the draft that ran through hall reminded me of a distant moaning.

"We're in the catacombs aren't we?" I asked.

"Yeah, I've got a gate down here remember?"

"Right, I keep forgetting. No surprise though, this place gives me the creeps. You should redecorate."

"You do know a catacomb's main function is to be a cemetery, right?" We laughed out loud, but the pain from my side made me wince. Nico frowned, "Want me to carry you?"

"No, I'll be fine, but thanks anyway." A thought dawned upon me. "Speaking of fine, did everyone make it okay?"

Nico nodded forwards, down the darkened hall. "Yeah, they're all upstairs, but as for fine…"

"Yeah, I know, Luke's still in pain."

"No," He said and paused, pulling back. "I mean, yeah, he's here and I called for help, but he's not the only one. Lee thinks the adrenaline, along with the shock, and our parent's arrival might have—"

"Nico, spit it _out._ "

His eyes were hard, "Annabeth. It's Annabeth."

"Get me upstairs. Now."

 **.**

Annabeth:

Voices were the first thing I heard. A clutter of them, all speaking to one another in hushed tones, about things I didn't care enough to pay mind to. The cot was damp underneath my fingertips and the sweat that was cooling against my neck could be felt all the way down my spine. Gross.

"She's waking up." A voice shot off and I cursed them silently.

"How can you tell?" Another asked. This one was feminine, stern, and short. I remembered it.

"Oh, come on, I don't need to remind you who my Daddy is, right?" A scuffle could be heard and someone groaned, then there was a thud against the floor. "Oh come on, I was just making a joke. No need to kick my nuts, Zoë."

 _Zoë?_

My eyes almost shot wide open, but I kept perfectly still, anything to stall everyone's attention for just a few moments longer. But Zoë? That wasn't possible, she died. It…it had to be someone else. _Luke came back, that means there is a chance it could be her._ I rolled my eyes at my own train of thought, sometimes logic was a pain in the neck.

"I don't care if thou was making a joke. Your jokes are always cheap and tasteless, Lee. I find no humor amongst them."

 _Lee?_ As in _Lee Fletcher?_ That's it, I'd had enough of this guessing game. I shook my head, complaints coming forth, but they died out on my tongue the second my eyes opened, coming in contact with two green iris' only a foot away from me.

"Percy," I said, but my voice was a weak, barley there whisper and I coughed viciously. The smile that had been plastered across his face disappeared instantly. He was sitting on the floor, arms resting on the cot, head laying against them.

"Annabeth, I'm so sorry," He reached for my hand, but I snatched it away. The broken look that appeared on his face made my chest ache. Everything inside was screaming to grab him and hold him close, but my mind said otherwise. Our talk in front of the Big House came flying back to me, the tension, his promise.

"Answers," I demanded. He nodded vigorously.

"Of course, Annabeth, I—"

"Answers! Those shall wait, you should be more concerned with her health, Perseus." The same voice that had spoken before shot off again and for the first time, I took a quick glance around the room. There were rows of cots lined against both sides of the room, and in between them, slender window panes were set into the walls, covered by thin, white curtains. Sitting on a cot across the room was Clarisse, polishing a dagger and staring at me intently; I waved to her. On the far end there was a wide entry way that seemed to open up into a hallway, but my eyes drifted to the corner, where two people stood in front of a table. They both looked eerily familiar and I gasped; it couldn't be true.

"Annabeth," Percy started.

"This isn't real, I'm dead. I have to be dead."

"No, I swear, this is real. All of it's real."

"Where are we?" I asked, head hitting the cot once again. Maybe if I didn't get up, maybe then it wasn't real. This was all some horrible fever dream.

"The infirmary. Well, we're in the infirmary, in our house, on the island. We made it, all of it."

"Made what?" I cried out. "What do you mean?"

"This is why I said wait, Percy. You're terrifying her," The girl said again and my eyes darted back over to watch both of them walk over to us. As they came closer, I could make out the girl's lithe figure, no more than fourteen, with dark hair braided over her shoulder and dark eyes like that of the night sky. "Besides, she's dehydrated and exhausted. She needs care."

"I know that, but I promised her answers. I'm not going to deny her the truth any longer."

"I don't think the answers are necessarily the main problem here, but men never do understand simple things like that. Even decent one's like you," Zoë said, sitting down beside me and shooing Percy against the cot behind him.

"Zoë, Zoë Nightshade." I covered my mouth in disbelief. "It's you. You're here."

She smiled, "I know, it's strange, even I'll admit. But you'll get used to it, I promise. Hopefully, this time around, we may get to know one another better than the last time our lives crossed paths."

"I'd like that."

"Good, now here. Drink this." She extended her hand and for the first time, I noticed she was holding a glass of water. My throat ached at the sight and I propped myself up on one elbow, taking the glass with shaky fingers. The first sip I took was small and went down easy, the second was a gulp that ended in another coughing fit. The glass slipped from my hand, but before Zoë could grab it, another hand shot out and caught it. Percy was still there, now having squished himself between Zoë and the small, side table, kneeling next to my cot. He held the glass out to me, but I shook my head and he placed it on the table. Zoë shook her head and pointed to the glass. "Finish it all, Annabeth."

I grimaced, but my throat was already screaming out for more. An aftertaste had spread across my tongue, "What's in that water? Is it fruit…no, mint?"

"That would be my doing!" The guy from before shouted and Zoë groaned, moving from my cot to the next, revealing the figure behind her. He was lean and blonde, with a pair of sunglasses settled into his curls, and he had a shining smile; almost and exact carbon copy of Apollo. I smiled when I realized that this was indeed, Lee Fletcher.

"Lee, I'd ask how the Underworld was treating you, but from what I can gather, you haven't been there."

"Well, I sort of was," He crossed his arms and smiled wider, if that was possible. "It was a pretty hip place, until I got snatched, but that's not important right now." I raised a brow and he pointed to the water. "Do you like it? I did put mint in it, by the way, you've got good tastebuds. It's medicinal, you know."

"Oh, good to know," I picked the glass back up and took a big sip. Lee gave me a thumbs up and I had to stop myself from laughing; Zoë rolled her eyes.

"Of all Apollo's children, I had to get stuck with him," She said and stood up. "Keep drinking, I'll get you some nectar, not that it'll do much good." As she walked off, I shot Percy a questioning glance and he caught it immediately.

"The nectar…ambrosia too, it'll still heal us, but not when it comes to the curse. You're going to ache for a few more hours at leas—"

"Wait, curse? What curse?" I shouted and went through another furious coughing fit. "Gods' dammit." Percy tried to continue his sentence, but stopped. I stared at him incredulously, "Percy? Percy!"

"There's so much, Annabeth." He lifted his head to look at me, his eyes were so tired. "I don't even know where to start."

I clenched my jaw, "Start from the beginning."

"How about you start after she's eaten something? A change of clothes maybe?" Lee interrupted. We both glared at him, but he held his hands up in defense. "I'm just saying it couldn't hurt."

"Well, then why don't you stop being a waste of space and go get some food. I bet everyone's in the kitchen anyway," Clarisse spat, finally speaking up. I glanced towards her and noticed she was still worrying away at the same dagger, even though it was now perfectly polished.

"Fine, no need to be a grump. You could've just said please," Lee shrugged and jogged out of the room.

"I'm not even that hungry," I said. Then, as if it had been waiting for this moment, my stomach growled, loud enough that everyone froze. Clarisse snickered and I took another sip of water. "Never mind, I'm starving."

"Wouldn't be surprised with how long you were out," Clarisse said.

"How long was I out?"

Percy answered, "Almost…almost two days."

I blanched, "Two days?"

"Yeah, it usually lasts up to four. Maybe even five, but both of you seem to have been rushed. I don't know what that means, it makes me nervous."

"Both?"

Percy nodded past me without even missing a beat and I rolled over to see someone two cots down, sleeping soundly. The left side of his face wasn't visible, but I already knew who it was. Luke looked peaceful, with a slight flush to this cheek that reminded me he was very much alive. The image was a total opposite to the one that had plagued me for months after the war, the one of him broken and bloodied on the throne room floor. The comparison made my blood boil, I had more than a few things to say to him, but my mind flashed back to the current issue and memories clicked together. I gasped, "The caduceus, on his leg. Was that—"

"Yes, it's part of the curse. It's sort of like a mark really. We don't know exactly what use it serves, but whenever we really need to use our powers, it helps. It kind of grounds us, in a way."

"Interesting…" I murmured.

"You have one too, you know."

"What?" I sat up and searched my body, but nothing popped out. Percy smiled and reached across me to grab my left arm. His fingers bothered at the ace bandage wrapped around my forearm. "Oh, I didn't notice that."

"No wonder, we had to put it on you while you were asleep. You kept scratching at the skin." As he pulled the bandage away, lines were revealed and I stared in awe at the image. It was an owl, with stunning white and gold feathers, perched atop an olive branch. Behind it were flowers, a five-petaled plant that I recognized as hellebore. My fingers drifted across them, "Beautiful but deadly."

"What," Percy asked, eyebrows scrunching together.

"The flowers, they're helleborus. A symbol of my mother. Most assume they're harmless, but almost every species is poisonous. Funny, don't you think?"

"No, not really. Things are rarely how they appear."

"Look who's turning into the wise one now," I teased. "…It really is stunning though, the tattoo."

"It could never match up to you."

"Oh, I'm gonna barf," Clarisse said. Percy glared at her before turning back towards me. His eyes were wide and sincere as he placed his hand in mine. Again I wanted to gather him in my arms, revel in the fact that he was alright, but my mind wouldn't rest. I pulled my hand from his grasp and started again, staring at the owl's eyes.

"Percy…who did this?"

He looked sick, "Annabeth it's him, it's—"

"She's awake!" Someone shouted out, their voice a faint echo down the hallway. "She's awake and you didn't tell me the second you walked in the room!" A chorus of footsteps sounded off, growing louder with each passing moment.

Clarisse groaned, "Here we go."

"It's getting to the point where I've been led to believe you despise human interaction," Zoë laughed and made her way back over to us to hand me a second glass, this one filled to the brim with nectar. I started chugging as soon as it was in my hands and I reveled in the taste of sweet, fresh strawberries as it slid down my throat.

"It's in my nature to only be able to tolerate a select few," Clarisse said as someone appeared at the archway, we turned our heads in unison.

"Where is she?" Thalia shouted, eyes landing on me. Her entire face lit up and she bolted across the room, dropping down at my side. She threw her arms around me and squeezed me tight, but my entire body ached under the pressure and I yelped in protest. "Oh shit, sorry! Sorry!"

"No worries, Thal," I said, giving her a once-over. My eyes immediately fell upon a piece of gauze that stuck out of her tang top; that wasn't there at camp. I reached out and pulled her shirt up to find the fabric wrapped around her entire abdomen. "Thalia!"

She pushed my hand away and shoved the shirt down, "It's fine! It's almost healed. It would've been healed a day ago if the shot hadn't been from the master bolt but luck never seems to favor me."

"Master bolt?" I screamed and vibrations pounded through my skull. "Ow, son of a—"

"Language!" Lee shouted, bounding into the room with several others trailing behind him. In his hands, he held a silver tray piled high with food. I didn't care what it was, I just wanted it and I held my hands out expectantly. "Alright, we've got two sandwiches, salad, fresh strawberries, and lemon squares. Thalia said you like those." He placed the tray in my hands and I lowered it into my lap, glancing quickly towards her.

"Thank you," I said and promptly shoved half a lemon square down my throat.

"No problem," She smiled.

"Now, don't eat to quickly. You don't want to upset your stomach, it wouldn't end well." I'd been about to take a gigantic bite of sandwich, but paused at the voice. Katie stood a few feet away, hands on her hips, with hair tied into a high ponytail. There was a bemused expression on her face. "By the way, don't let him take all the credit for the food. Me and Pollux have been cooking for the past two hours."

"I helped," Lee said.

"For _five_ minutes," Katie's eyes burned on him momentarily, before returning to me. "But anyway, we've got plenty more food so don't rush. Take your time."

"Sure thing," I said, but took a bite nonetheless. As I ate, observations were taken quickly. There seemed to be no more new faces, Pollux and Nico stood a few feet away from Katie, lighthearted banter traveling between them both. Katie moved, aiming to take residence on the cot next to mine, and as she did someone was revealed that I hadn't yet noticed. He'd dropped down on the cot next to Clarisse, talking to her in quick, hushed tones that appeared to be grating on her nerves. The sandwich slipped out of my grasp the moment I realized who it was. "Beckendorf."

Both of them turned their heads, but Beckendorf's face was the one that lit up. "Hey, Owl Eyes, how've you been?"

"Before or after this?" I asked, gesturing towards the tattoo.

"Before, obviously."

" _Obviously,_ " I laughed and pushed the tray away. A desperate attempt to swing my legs was made before everyone moved forward, hands extended and I froze. "Guys, I'm not porcelain." Beckendorf stood up and crossed the room.

"We know," He leaned down to hug me briefly and I caught the scent that clung to his shirt. Smoked wood, fire, and gasoline—it took me straight back to his time at camp, almost as if he'd never been gone in the first place. "We just don't want you in any more pain."

"Thank you," I pulled the tray back into my lap and watched the tension leave everyone's shoulders. _What were they all so afraid of,_ I thought.

"Especially this one," Beckendorf nodded towards Percy, who blushed furiously. "He stuck by your side for the past two days, and when he had to go to the bathroom, he made one of us come and sit right next to you."

"Beckendorf, we're together now," Percy's eyes were set on the floor. "You don't have to be my wingman anymore." I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing.

"Oh, please. A good wingman is a wingman for life. I am always looking out for you."

Clarisse stood up, throwing the towel she'd been hold against the floor; our heads snapped towards her. Her face was ruby red and her eyes, two glowing orange iris', sent shivers down my spine. "Aw, isn't that adorable. You're looking out for him? Maybe if you weren't always looking out for him you'd have more time to fix that terrible tracking device and find the rest of them!" She focused on Beckendorf, glaring at him as she stormed out of the room and he pushed off the cot, ready to follow her before Pollux intervened.

"Don't do it."

"She's always doing this," Beckendorf said, voice rising. "I'm trying my best, dude. What's her issue?"

"You know how she gets," Pollux said, hands open in plea. Beckendorf towered over Pollux by a few inches, but something scratched at the back of my head, telling me they were equal in power. The feeling made me uneasy, but I took the information willingly. "She can't control it. She's trying, Charlie. She's just worried about her."

"Don't you think I am too? The difference is I'm not playing this pathetic little blame game she's got going on. She needs to get it together," Beckendorf took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest. "You should go talk to her."

"I'm gonna," Pollux said and nodded towards me briefly. "It's good to see you smiling, Annabeth."

"Thanks," I said, giving a half-hearted wave as he ran out of the room. "What was that all about?" Everyone glanced towards me, but no one answered. I trained my eyes on Percy instead.

"Uh…"

"Percy, you promised."

"I'm sure he did," Beckendorf smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "But there's more important matters right now, he'll tell you later." My impatience was at an all time high, but even still I agreed. "Alright, instead it's probably time to explain the magic behind that tattoo."

"Finally," I sighed and waited for someone to talk, but the only sound that came forth was a weary groan and my head snapped to the side. Yawning, Luke sat up, finally awake. When he saw us, his mouth dropped wide open.

"Uhh…"

"At a loss for words, Luke?" Lee asked and he nodded.

"That would be a first," Katie rolled her eyes. Thalia squeezed my arm gently, before walking towards him. As she approached, a smile broke out on his face.

"Thalia, you're okay—" She held up a hand to silence him.

"Get up," she said. Luke must have realized where he was and who he was with, because after a moment he looked towards us again and nodded solemnly. With quick instruction from Thalia, he threw his legs over the side of the cot and slowly, very slowly, stood up. His expression was pained the entire time. He took a few steps forward, but then paused, as if he didn't know what to do. He probably didn't.

"Um, I don't know what to say. I want to apologize, but I don't think words cover it…"

 _Now or never, Chase,_ I told myself and went to stand up. Percy rushed forwards, but the look in my eyes made him freeze. Taking a deep breath, I clenched my jaw and pushed off the bed. Daggers of pain ran up my legs, followed immediately by a wave of energy that ran down into them. I'd expected blood rushing to my head, the floor being ripped from under me, but this was different. Something was settling throughout me, it made me feel elated, buzzed, like I could conquer the world. It would've been a fantastic feeling, if only I wasn't so pissed at Luke. I took tentative steps until I was able to plant myself right in front of him.

"Annabeth," he said. His eyes were searching mine, his hands gripping at one another.

I squared my shoulders, "Luke."

"Are you alright?" He asked. "No more pain?"

"Yes, I'm fine. You?"

"Yep, I'm all good," His eyebrows scrunched together as he continued to stare. "Um, Annie, are you sure you're okay? You look a little sick."

"Nope. I'm good," I said and without pause, took every ounce of rage that had built up in my pained haze and shoved it into my fist. Then I let it fly straight into Luke's face and I watched as he hit the floor with enough force to break the floorboards underneath him. He looked up at me, hand cradling his face. "Now, I'm really good."

"Sweet satisfaction!" Beckendorf yelled. "I've been waiting to do that since I found out you betrayed camp, Luke. Annabeth, hit him again!"

"I second that!" Lee cut in.

"Third!" Katie shouted.

"Wow," Luke said, picking himself up from the floor. I watched as the wood creaked back into place, all the splinters and cracks fixing themselves until it all lay flat like it had been not a moment before. _Mental note, ask Beckendorf later._ He had to be behind that. "Nice to know you all care so much."

"They do care!" I yelled and all eyes turned on me. "Everyone cared, Luke! But hope can only stretch so far, eventually people lose faith. It hurts even more, when you lose faith in people you thought you never would," Luke's expression was somber and he swallowed audibly. Nobody spoke, so I continued. "Do you know that I, do you know how long that I—you're an asshole, Luke! An absolute selfish _metrokoites!"_

"She's going in." Someone murmured from behind me, but I didn't bother looking. Ancient Greek had taken over my vocabulary and I advanced on him spewing words completely foreign to me, yet they made sense nonetheless. With every insult he took a step backwards, but my anger only grew.

"I spent years thinking of ways to get you back to camp. Years trying to get you to change! Do you know how many people tried to tell me I was wrong? Do you know how many people I fought because I thought I was right?"

"Annabeth, please—"

"No!" I screeched, voice echoing against the walls. "You don't get to talk!" A strange feeling had gathered in my chest and the room was starting to blur at the edges, but I didn't stop. "You could have come back! You could have left!"

"Annabeth, I couldn't. I tried, I swear—"

"I said shut up!" Shuffling sounded off behind me and Thalia stepped forward, eyes wide. Luke looked down at my arm, and took quick steps back. Somebody called out behind me, but I wasn't listening, anger roared in my ears, drowning everything out. He tried to back up even further, but I stepped forwards and with both hands, shoved as hard as I could. He slide back ten feet before finally falling backwards onto the floor. I knew what I'd done wasn't normal, even for a demigod, but I didn't care. As he lay there, eyes on me, sweat breaking out on his brow, the only thing I could think of was doing it again. A hand grabbed my shoulder; I froze. "What?"

"Annie, let's get out of here," Thalia said, turning me towards her. "We'll go get you a change of clothes."

"No, I have stuff to say!"

"You can say it later, he's not going anywhere this time."

I glanced around, staring at one nervous face after another. It didn't make any sense, they were happy a second ago, what had them on edge? Reluctantly, I muttered, "Fine." She sighed and took my arm, but before we could leave, another flash of heat ran over me and I gritted my teeth, spun back around towards him, and spat, "I will never trust you again, Luke. _Ever._ "

Without another word, I followed Thalia out of the room.

 **.**

Percy:

As Thalia and Annabeth's absence filled the air, others started filing out of the room and I watched Luke pick himself up slowly. He made to follow the others, but paused and cast his eyes down to the floor before backing up and sinking down on a cot at the far end of the room. He slumped forwards and let out a huff.

"What are you doing, Luke?" I asked. His head snapped towards me, mouth agape, as if he hadn't expected anyone to speak to him.

"Uh, I don't really have any place to be?"

"You know we have a kitchen right," I said, still confused. "Aren't you hungry?"

"Um, no…I'm good," He said. "I'll just wait."

"No, you won't," Beckendorf said, voice commanding. "Don't think that you can weasel your way out of this."

"Excuse me?" Luke said, but he sounded irritated.

"I know what you're trying to do, Luke. I'm not going to put up with it."

My eyes darted back and forth between both of them curiously, until it hit me. Luke wasn't joining the others, he was going to avoid them. His eyes narrowed, "What are you talking about? I'm just sitting here."

"Yeah, but you're not going to stay there. You almost got the easy way out, you were almost able to get to the Lethe," Luke's eyes widened at Beckendorf's statement. "Ha! Yeah, I saw you walking away and I know exactly where you were headed. You almost got to start over but now you're going to do it the hard way. You're going to have to deal with the consequences."

"What consequences?" Luke scoffed. "If you want to beat the living shit out of me, go ahead. I know I deserve it."

"No, I'm talking about following me to the kitchen and eating a meal with every single person you pissed off," Beckendorf took a deep breath and I watched his shoulders slump. "Listen, I spent my summers at camp with you man, and the last thing I remember is gold eyes and getting blown up. I know that wasn't you, but if you hadn't listened to that titan in the first place it would have never happened. I'm not gonna let you ignore that, you have to deal with it and you have to start now." Luke cast a glance towards me.

"If you think I'm going to disagree," I said. "Then you've lost it for a second time."

Luke rolled his eyes, "Kiss my ass, Jackson." With a huff, he stood up and walked over to us, hands in his pockets. "I don't expect anyone's forgiveness."

"You don't have it, not yet at least. Not from everyone," I stood from the cot and took a step closer towards him. "But nobody blames you, not anymore."

"Percy, I'm still at fault—"

"Not for everything."

His eyes bore into mine, until they narrowed suddenly and his jaw set. "What did he do to you?" When I didn't answer, he looked to Beckendorf, who shook his head.

"Don't ask me, I wasn't held captive like they were."

 _"Captive?"_ Luke yelled. "What happened?"

"Don't ask."

Luke looked at me incredulously, "But Percy—"

"Don't. Ask."

He took a breath, then paused, "Fine, Jackson. You don't owe me anything after all." I wanted to say something, anything back to him, but the words got caught in my throat. Luke nodded towards Beckendorf. "So, food?"

"Yeah, come on, I'll show you how to get to the kitchen," Beckendorf gestured behind him and they headed towards the hall.

"Should I keep my guard up?"

"I think most of us decided to take you to town during sparring, but watch out for Clarisse. She said she'll tackle you whenever she feels like it."

"That sounds about right," Their voices faded away as they walked down the hall, until they disappeared altogether. I wanted to follow them, ask Luke if he knew, if he'd had the same experience. His words ran back in my head and memories engulfed me. Cold, empty darkness, an overwhelming vastness, an unrelenting pressure, then it grew hot, hot, burning—

"Hey," I jumped a foot in the air and spun around, hands flying up to protect myself. Nico was there, with mouth agape. There was a moment where we were both frozen, then he let out a breath, hands reaching out towards me. "Percy, where are you? Are you here?" I scanned the room quickly, we were alone.

"I am now."

"Alright," He took my hands gently and lowered them. "That's better. What happened?"

"Nothing, it was…you know, the place." I shook my head. "Don't worry about it, everything's fine." Nico rubbed at his temples in frustration before shooting me a look. The, _are you kidding me?_ look.

"Percy, we've all been over this, it's not nothing. You want to talk about it?"

"I have talked about it."

"Stating it and talking about it are two very different things."

"It doesn't matter."

 _"It does—"_

"Nico!" I protested, hands balling into fists at my sides. He stopped, shut his mouth, and looked away, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "I really don't want to talk about this right now, please."

He huffed, "Fine, but I'm not leaving. I know it's not just _that_ that's bothering you, I'm assuming…"

"Yeah, I'm nervous about Annabeth, why wouldn't I be? She's angry, she should be." The tension had left my body, replaced with nothing but unease. "She hate's me, I know it." Nico's eyes softened, with a glimmer to them that I couldn't quite place, and he shook his head.

"Percy, trust me, no one could ever hate you."

"Don't pity me, Nico."

"I'm not," He clapped a hand on my shoulder. "I want to say you should go talk to her, but I'm guessing you're already planning on doing that."

"Yeah, but maybe I should just wait until…tomorrow?"

"Percy—"

"I know, I know, I'm just nervous."

"I get it, but she deserves to know everything. And we've kept her in the dark to long, all of us. You need to talk to her, she should hear it from you. Right now."

I dragged my hands down my face, "You're right."

He smiled, "Yeah, but you were going to do it anyway, I just kept you from stalling."

"Thanks," I shoved my hands deep in my pockets and gave him one last look before heading out of the room.

 **.**

Annabeth:

"Do you want to talk about it?" Thalia asked.

"No, just…just let me calm down," I said.

"Alright," She gestured forwards. "Come on." As she led me through the house, my eyes wandered around rooms, up walls and over archways. The more we walked the more it became clear that this couldn't be called a "house." A mansion maybe, even a castle. The floor tiles changed from room to room, the walls as well, either being completely finished with a coat of pain or only made solely of wood planks. My initial thought was that the house might not be finished, but by the time we reached the main hall everything appeared as if it had been done on purpose.

"Thalia," I asked, staring at the chandelier that hung high above over the center of the room. "I'm not criticizing your designer, but why does the house look…well, not normal."

She stopped at the foot of the grand staircase, spun on her heels, leaned against the railing, and shot me an extremely sheepish smile. "Funny story." I put my hands on my hips and she deflated, letting out a long sigh and motioning for me to follow her up the stairs. I shook my head and interlocked our arms as we ascended. "When we made the place, we didn't have a set style in mind. All I'd ever known about houses were my mother's granite countertops, Percy went for cozy, Katie went for spacious, Nico just wanted a room of his own, and altogether it didn't look quite right. Then there was the issue of windows, lighting, and so on and crap, this does sound bad."

"I think it's cute," I said but my mind desperately ran through the possibilities of what could be improved. Better tiling, intricate details, a few personal touches, better air channels and presto, it would be a vacation destination for the ages.

"Thanks," She murmured. "In the end though, it kept the cold out and the electricity worked so we just decided to leave it. When Beckendorf came along, he fixed some of our wiring and what not, but as for the structure…well, he had the same idea that we did."

"And that is?"

"That you'd fix it up, maybe. You know, work your architect magic."

I stopped dead in my tracks, _"Seriously?"_

"Of course," She smiled. "Who would be better for the job?"

"But like, everything? The infirmary, the front room, the kitchen?"

"Trust me, there's a lot more than that," She took my hand and hauled me the rest of the way up the stairs. "This hallway though, you might not need to."

The air left my lungs in a rush as I gazed on in awe, "Thalia, this is amazing." The hallway was impeccably large, the ceiling arching high above my head and the floor reaching a distance of what had to be a bit over forty feet away from me. Doors were nestled along the walls, spaced apart evenly from one another. Each one was made of dark, wooden mahogany and held intricate symbols, carved directly into the wood. A few of them gleamed against the sunlight that filtered in from the front room behind us and I held a hand against my throat, unable to formulate a single word. Thalia looked bemused.

"Do you like it?"

I nodded, eyes glued to the doors like they were a life force. "How did you. . ."

"It took us awhile," She admitted and led me to he left. "But we slept more than anything else while we were here, so we thought if we're gonna make anything good, why not it be our rooms?"

"So, you can make this, but you can't insulate a hallway?" I asked and she laughed.

"It was the only thing we got right honestly, afterwards we just kept screwing up. Beginner's luck I suppose."

"That doesn't make very much sense."

"I've started to accept that nothing ever truly makes sense anymore."

I scoffed, "Well, that's stupid, Thals. Everything can make sense, it's the logic that needs to bend not the structure. You can't look at everything from one angle all the time, it just doesn't make any sense! And another thing—wait, why are we stopping?"

"To get you clothes, you know, from your room," She gestured to the door at our right. It towered over us by at least ten feet and was made of a dark, polished cherry wood. In the middle, encircled by a simple line, was the owl of Athens, staring forwards with two open eyes.

"Always watching," I muttered and Thalia smiled.

"Don't worry, she can't see you here," She said, then pushed the doors open and ushered me inside. I gasped, both hands hovering over my chest, and then yelled in disbelief.

 _"This is mine?"_ The room had similar proportions to the hallway, large, tall, and spacious. A single bed covered in snowy white sheets, big enough to be a king, sat back against the far wall, nestled between to window-pane doorways that led out to a balcony. A curtain of chiffon fell from the ceiling, covering the bed in a dome. On one side of the room, there was a desk, already covered in supplies. To its right was a bookcase, reaching halfway up the wall, with a ladder leaning against the front. To its left sat a drafting desk and my fingers twitched, I'd always wanted one. On the other side of the room sat a bureau, two sets of doors, and in the corner, covered in several fabrics, sat a divan; it was still inviting despite the fact I'd been out for two days. I looked back to Thalia, who had the biggest smile on her face, and threw my hands up in the air. "This could fit my entire cabin! Probably—no, definetely—more!"

Her eyes were gleaming, "Yeah, but do you _like_ it?"

"Yes! A million times yes!" I paused to take another quick glance around the room, then noticed something was off. "The scheme of the room does sway a bit more towards Victorian though, not Greek. Is that what you were going for?" Thalia laughed and hugged me for the second time today. Her voice was muffled against my shoulder.

"Annabeth, I missed you so much."

Her words snapped me back to reality and as we pulled away from each other, a bitter taste grew at the back of my throat. "Than why didn't you come back sooner?" Her fingers gripped the fabric at my shoulders.

"We couldn't. Please understand, Annabeth it was _chaotic_ —"

"I don't care what it was like," I pushed her hands away, took a few steps toward the bureau. "You could have told me, I could have helped."

"You're angry," She stated.

"How can you expect me not to be?"

"I don't," She walked past me, opened one set of doors, and walked in. "You have every right to be pissed, but—" She reappeared, leaning around the doorframe. "You alright with a plain tee and sweats?"

"Yeah," I said, gravitating towards her. "But what?"

"It's just that, listen I know there's no excuse and I'm sorry for holding out on you. We were all terrified, we're still terrified…" Her voice grew muffled. I took a few steps inside the next room only to find it was a closet. A _big_ closet.

"Thalia, this could clothe all the girls at camp."

She reappeared from around a corner, with clothes in hand. "I know, we debated stuffing the cabins with them, but we couldn't think of an explanation as to how we got them." As she placed them in my hands, I looked at her expectantly. She sighed and her shoulders sagged.

"Okay, Annabeth I'm sorry for lying to you, but I'm not sorry for trying to keep you safe. This curse is…freaky. I don't know how to explain it, all we know are the technicalities and even those are horrific at best," I opened my mouth to speak, but she held up a finger. "Listen, we'll tell you everything and you can be as mad as you want, just please, don't hate me for this." I didn't know how to respond.

"Y-you think I hate you?" I asked.

"I wouldn't put it past you." Her gaze never faltered, focused only on me, but despite the calm demeanor, the fear was evident. I pulled her into a hug, tighter than the last, the clothes smushed between us.

"Thalia, I could never hate you. I'm just so, so—"

She pulled back, "Irritated? Frustrated? Annoyed?"

"All of the above, you absolute nerd," I smiled and she laughed. "But I'd be a lot less annoyed if someone actually explained what was going on in _full detail._ "

"Sure, come on get dressed and I'll tell you everything, well some parts are…unpleasant, but we can skip over those?"

"What do you mean? Thalia, I want to know everything."

She shook her head, "Some things are better left unsaid Annie," She gasped and grabbed my hand. "Wait, let me see your mark, you have to see mine. I mean I have my father, but I also got the big bi—" A knock at the door cut her off and we walked out of the closet in unison, just in time to see Percy open the door. When he saw us, he paused.

"Did I interrupt anything?"

 **.**

Percy:

"Why don't you get dressed?" Thalia asked and Annabeth ripped her gaze from mine. "The bathroom is that other door."

"Sure," Annabeth said and made her way to the bathroom, closing the door shut behind her.

"What do you think you're doing, Jackson?" Thalia whispered.

"I need to talk to her."

"I was gonna talk to her."

"No, she wanted me to explain, so I should be the one to tell her."

"I think at this point she just wants to know."

" _Thalia_ ," I pleaded and she rolled her eyes.

"Fine, fine." She said and turned towards the bathroom. "Annabeth, I'm gonna go downstairs, are you all good?"

"Yeah!" Annabeth called back, although her voice was muffled. As Thalia passed, she elbowed me lightly and I could feel warm butterflies flutter through my stomach. A silent _good luck._ Or a hopeful _don't screw up,_ it could've been either. I stood there as the minutes passed, shifting from foot to foot until the door finally opened and Annabeth walked out. Dressed in grey sweats and a t-shit, with her hair tied up in a messy bun. My breath hitched and I couldn't speak, until I realized, she was staring at me, eyes burning. She moved towards the bureau and placed her dirty clothes atop it. "So, why are you here?"

I coughed, "Because, um, you wanted me to tell you everything."

"Okay…are you going to?"

"Yes, yeah." I took tentative steps towards her, thinking of a way to start, but trashed every idea and spit out whatever came to mind. "We've been cursed. All of us, there are others to, and we think it might be traveling to minor gods now as well because—"

"Who cursed us? Why?"

The answer sat heavy on my tongue and I swallowed it down, "They're not pleasant, how about I—"

"Percy, I need you to tell me." She gripped at the bureau, staring at me from the mirror. Something in her eyes told me she already knew, but she had to be sure. _Of course, she had to be sure._ My mouth was dry, like someone had shoved twenty cotton balls down my throat, but I locked eyes with her and choked the word out anyway.

"Kronos."

She took a deep, shuddering breath and ducked her head down. I was at her side in seconds, hands reaching for shoulders, but she raised her hand and I froze. "Annabeth…"

"Five years, close to five years everyone spent trying to stop him. We lost people, we fought a fucking _war,_ and you're telling me it was for nothing? Nothing we did actually worked? We never actually won."

"Annabeth, I—"

She spun on me, her face was bright red. I took a step back. "How long did you know? How long," She pointed to her tattoo. "Did you have this on you?"

"Over a year."

She paused, eyes drifting off to the side. Then something seemed to snap, anger leeched into her face and she pointed her finger towards me viciously. "You lied."

"No, please let me explain."

"You lied about everything!" She screamed, voice echoing throughout the room. "You've been lying this entire time! You were lying since you came back to camp!"

"Please, it's not what it seems like—"

"Really? That whole fiasco about Hera kidnapping you all, for some stupid treasure hunt. Was that a lie?"

I stared at her, "Yes."

"The headaches?"

"Yes."

"Where even were you for that entire time?" She spat. "Were you trapped? Where were you?"

"The first few months, we were stuck in a hellhole. It was like a prison and then…"

"And then what?" Her voice made me flinch.

"We escaped, we had to hide, we went on the run."

"I looked for you," Her eyes began to glisten and I stepped towards her again, but she waved me back. "Don't you dare come near me! I looked for you for months, every single day. I never slept, I thought you were dead! Do you know what it was like for me? I felt so helpless, everywhere I went, every lead I traced, all bullshit!"

"I wanted to tell you!"

"Why didn't you?" She shouted, hands flying into the air.

"We couldn't! We were unstable, Annabeth. I almost created a tsunami, Katie uprooted miles of farm field. It wasn't safe." My mind was reeling and I tried to calm myself, but Annabeth wouldn't let up.

"That doesn't matter to me, I would have helped you! We could have went to our parents."

"They would have killed us! They're trying to kill us now! This thing spreads like a virus, the closer you were to us, the sooner it would have gotten to you. We had to stay away."

Anger was radiating off Annabeth in waves, and tears were glistening at the corners of her eyes. My heart clenched in my chest, but as we stood there the mark on her arm begin to glow; I didn't dare take a step forward. She started to sob, "I don't care, Percy! I don't care what you had to do, I would have stayed away with you. You lied to me and you kept lying when you got back. Why couldn't you trust me? I trust you!"

"Annabeth, of course, I trust you!"

"Clearly you don't!" She screamed and a wave of energy hit me, pushing me a foot back. She didn't seem to notice.

"Annabeth, stop. Just take a deep breath."

"And now, a psychopathic titan is back on the loose again! And I'm only learning about it now?"

"Annabeth, please!"

"No!" With her anger came another wave, but this time its strength sent me flying backwards into the wall and crashing down upon a desk that collapsed underneath me. I landed in a pile of paper and broken wood, then slowly, propped myself up on my elbow. Pain seeped into my bones, but I shook it off; it'd be gone in a moment or two. Annabeth was standing across the room, hands crossed over her mouth, frozen in place.

I sighed, "Like I said, unstable. Don't worry it happens all the time."

She strode quickly across the room and I had to crane my neck to see her. Her hands were shaking and tears had left stray marks on her face, her eyes kept darting around me, surveying the damage. Her voice was quiet, "I'm so sorry." As she stood there, it hit me that this is exactly what I'd been trying to avoid. Panic crept into my chest, I did this to her, I did this, it was all my fault.

"Don't be sorry," I said. She kneeled down next to me, shaking her head.

"Percy, I just threw you against a wall, it's my fault. I'm sorry—"

"Don't say that," I cried, voice cracking. "This is my fault, I should have told you. You have every right to be mad. I didn't want this to happen to you, I didn't want you to, to be _scared_ of yourself." My entire frame started to shake, rough heaving breaths coming from my chest, and I realized I was crying. _Fantastic_ , I thought. Annabeth kneeled down next to me, pushing chips of wood to the side.

"Percy…"

"Don't," I shook my head. "I don't deserve your sympathy. I didn't know what to do and gods, Annabeth you always know what to do. I just wanted you safe instead of in pain, instead of like this, but that's no excuse. I'm so sorry, you have every reason to hate me." She knocked my hand to the side and held my face with in her palms. Her eyes were a burning silver and I wondered, idly, if that had been because of the curse.

"Listen to me, Percy, and don't take this lightly. Understand?" She searched my face for a moment, before staring me straight in the eye. "I'm furious. At you, at Thalia, at this entire situation, even at myself. I can't even explain how angry I am, but there is not a single particle in my entire body that could hate you. I would never, ever hate you." For a moment her words lingered, floating in the air between us, then we both had arms wrapped tight around the other. We were shaking, exhausted and strained, but I let myself sob into her shoulder; I knew she was doing the same.

When we finally broke apart, I pressed a kiss to her forehead; she repeated the motion automatically. I glanced around the room, at the broken desk beneath me, at her. "What now?"

"Start from the beginning?" She asked and grabbed my hand, threading our fingers together.

"Of course, what do you want to know?"

 **.**

Olympian Throne Room:

"Father, my loyalty to you is unyielding but if you keep sulking over getting beaten up by my lieutenant for one second more, I will shoot you." Artemis muttered and rolled her eyes, slouching further in her throne.

"She isn't your lieutenant anymore, give it a rest." Aphrodite said, clearly irritated. "She broke your circlet, betrayed you. She's with the Castellan boy. Don't you have that Phoebe girl, why don't you obsess over her, jeez."

Artemis gripped the arms of her throne, face turning red. "She's not with that boy yet! There's still hope for her and when we find her, I'll take her back."

"When we find her, I'll take her back," Aphrodite mocked. "Spare me the dramatics, you fool."

"FOOL?"

"Enough!" Hera interrupted, her voice echoing through the room. "Are you both serious? These children have us on edge and you decide to take it out on one another? What are you, only a century old? Please, do shut up." Both goddesses huffed at her words, sitting back in their thrones. "…I will say Artemis is right though, Zeus you need to stop sulking."

Zeus groaned and as he did, the master bolt that sat across his lap glowed menacingly, even though the ones who were around to witness weren't effected in the slightest. The only reaction came from Poseidon, who rolled his eyes in dismay. "Stop acting like a child, brother. It's embarrassing."

"I'll act any way I like."

"You're just sour because your own daughter threw you into the ocean," Poseidon said. "Even if they are traitors, I still have to give that one to her."

"You wouldn't be so happy if your son had thrown you on your back."

"Leave my son out of this."

Zeus sat up, and focused an analytical gaze solely on his brother, "I won't. Listen to me now, they've betrayed us. They may as well be planning to kill us at any moment. They most likely have been planning to kill us, for weeks, maybe even months. Don't you dare let the compassion you have for your son make you see him for anything else than what he is, a filthy, traitorous _pig—_ " Poseidon jumped from his throne, grabbed the front of Zeus' armor, and heaved him upwards.

His voice was deafening, "Say _one_ more word like that about my son and he won't be the only one you'll have to worry about."

"Is this what you all live with? Twenty four seven?" Hades appeared beside Zeus' throne and leaned against it.

"Yes," Demeter said.

"Your both imbeciles," Hades said. Poseidon let go of Zeus and sat back in his throne, eyes trained on the hearth. Zeus kept his stance in the middle of the room.

"Get off my throne."

"Why don't you make me—"

"Don't start," Athena cut them off, her tone cold and harsh. "Where is Thanatos? Did he find anything? Does he know how Castellan escaped?"

"No," Hades said. Tension swept through the room, in forms of shuffled feet, small coughs, and itchy arms, but Athena kept still.

"Did he find any cracks in the Underworld? Are their guards patrolling the border?"

Hades took a seat on the arm of Zeus' throne, despite the thunder that boomed above them. "Yes to the second, no to the first. I have people sweeping the entirety of the Underworld, but not a single gateway has been found. I'm starting to think someone might have helped him escape."

"Someone was waltzing around the Underworld, bringing people back from the dead, and you didn't know." Zeus said and took a step forwards, but Hera held up a hand and he paused.

"Continue," She said. Hades gave Zeus a smug smile.

"Anyway, that's not what I'm concerned about. Thanatos' entire system has crashed, there's no way to tell who is coming in or out of the Underworld."

"You can't be serious," Aphrodite gasped, a hand flying up to rest at the base of her neck.

"Unfortunately, I am. Hephaestus, I was actually going to ask if you could…"

"I'll head down their now. This should be interesting, I've never actually seen your filing system." He said and burst into flames, leaving only a few stray ashes in his place.

"Any other bad news?" Poseidon asked, eyes still trained on the hearth.

"Yes, it seems like there are…others who have escaped." Everyone straightened in their seats at once, voices merging together in a flurry of panic.

"Others?"

"Not my daughter—"

"That's not possible—"

"Who else could they want?"

"Shut up!" Hades yelled. "I'm so glad I don't live here. And I have no idea who else, the skeletons came back talking about missing souls, but they have no idea who. Thanatos didn't even know, he's searching Elysium for them now."

"Elysium?" Artemis inquired.

"Oh as if a demigod wandering in the Fields of Asphodel could be worthy enough of a gods' power." Apollo said.

"I wouldn't exactly agree," Hades said. "But yes, that's the idea."

"So, what now?" Dionysus asked. "I mean as hilarious as it would be to see Ares get flung around again, I'd prefer not to die."

Ares stood up, "Say that again why don't you…"

"Sit down." Aphrodite commanded and Ares flew back into this throne, unable to move. "Athena? What should we do?"

Everyone turned towards the goddess, who sat up with her back pin-straight, eyes focused on the marble floor. She looked regal, elegant, and calm, but the one thing that gave her facade away was her hands that were tensed together in her lap. She looked up, eyes scanning each face in the room and slowly, gravely, shook her head. "I don't know…I don't."

* * *

hello again! thank you so much for reading!

personally, this chapter is a bit of a mess, but i hope you liked it! it included a lot of necessary developments, especially because annabeth was kept in the dark and she really needed to catch up (of course, she wouldn't have needed to catch up if they had just told her in the first place! jeez percy! lmao)

i am very anxious to write the next chapter and i hope you're very anxious to read it, plus there will be some more familiar faces, but shh i can't tell you who

btw thank you all so much for your comments! they're what keeps me writing 3

as always, reviews are highly appreciated xxx


	4. We Get Some New Friends

hi everyone! guess who's back after months-this girl! sorry for disappearing, college got extremely busy, but i'm back with such a long chapter that i actually had to split it in two! so i'll be posting the next part within two weeks

for now, i hope you enjoy! and if you've been waiting, thank you so much for sticking around!

* * *

Official Title: We Get Some New Friends—and Some Old Ones Too

PERCY:

"Alright, let's go over this again." Annabeth said and an audible groan ran through the room. "Hey! Stop complaining, I have to make sure I have this down."

"What more is there to tell?" Clarisse said, kicking her feet up onto Pollux's lap from where she sat on the couch. After an hour's worth of interrogation, Annabeth and I had made our way back downstairs to find the others lounging around, stuffing their faces with dinner. The kitchen was entirely Katie's design and was my second favorite part of the house; the first part obviously being my bed. It was huge, with high ceilings and wooden beams, deep cupboards and wide countertops, and a long, wooden bench table that matched the ones at Camp Half-Blood. The room flowed into an area that held couches, armchairs, beanbags, the works. Once the smell of food had hit us, we'd both stuffed our plates high and dropped down onto a couch. Safe to say, that's where we'd stayed.

"Everything!" Annabeth yelled, balancing an empty plate on her knee. "Explain it _again._ "

"Fine," Thalia said, sitting up in the armchair she'd claimed earlier. "So, we've been cursed per say—"

"It's a curse," Katie cut in, sitting up higher in her beanbag.

Thalia rolled her eyes, "If you want to look at it that way, but seeing as we've been thrown into this chaotic predicament than yeah, it's a curse. Kronos is the cause, but he didn't have to physically be around to apply it to us so we're assuming it's an ancient spell—"

"From Tartarus," Annabeth supplied. Thalia shook her head.

"A possibility, but we're not certain."

"And this spell is…"

"A death sentence," Lee muttered, half asleep. From the corner of my eye, I could see Annabeth roll her eyes.

"The spell is?"

"It's duplicating our parent's powers and sifting it into us," I said, reaching for her hand. She took it without hesitation. "They're not losing anything, but it's kind of easy to see us as a threat."

"But we're _not_ a threat," Her jaw clenched. "And this has been going on for how long?"

Katie tapped a finger to her chin, "If we're starting at the point where the first one of us was kidnapped—"

"That was me, by the way," Nico said, raising his hand with a big smile on his face. I tried to kick him from where I sat but he simply popped his feet up. "Nice try, sailor."

"You're such a nerd."

"Ooo, good comeback."

 _"Anyway,"_ Katie said, drawing back our attention. "Starting from there it'd be almost a year."

"A year…" Annabeth bit her lip. "And who gave you these tattoos? Who did you say it was?"

"Big Boots," I said and the room groaned. "Hey!"

"Big Boots?" She asked.

"He calls him Big Boots," Katie said.

"I've never even seen the guy, but I'm not a fan of the nickname." Clarisse said. "Maybe bastard or scum would do the trick."

I grinned, "Nice one."

"He's the one that gave us the marks," Thalia continued. "He dragged us into this room and used this machine, but the six of us are the only one's he's ever touched. I think he might've designed everyone else's though, Kronos has no use for elaborate designs, he probably would've just given everybody numbers."

Annabeth scoffed, "What? Does this Big Boots guy get off on drawing tattoos? Does he have the time to waste?"

"Guess so," I said. Annabeth fell silent, her fingers tapping idly against her mark. She bit her lip out of habit and my heart thumped against my ribcage. _Keep it together, Jackson, keep it together._

"This spell, these marks…" She said. "Again, what can they do? Just how much has our powers been enhanced?" I shared a glance with Nico, than Katie, than Thalia. They were all the same, reflecting on moments in the past.

"They do well enough," I paused. "…They do well enough to make us afraid of ourselves until we can learn the ability to control them. I'd say that's the best answer we can give you."

"Specifics?" She asked, eyes pleading. "A joint power that everyone develops?"

"Communication, extra strength and energy, but," I shook my head, "The only way to find out specifics is by using them. We can figure it out when we spar. It's the safest way." Someone cleared their throat, drawing everyone's attention to the far side of the room. It was Luke, leaning up against the wall.

"How do we get rid of it?"

"No idea."

"But," Katie started. "We want to find out how. Kronos has teased us with the information. He's never actually told us, but from what he's said we're sure there is a way to reverse it."

"You just believe him?" Luke asked, appalled.

"Didn't you?" Clarisse said. Katie held up a hand.

"Hold on," She turned towards Luke. "There isn't really much else to go on, we need to set our hope on something, _anything_. No matter how untrustworthy he is." Luke ducked his head and sighed. "Either way, it doesn't matter, we haven't found anything yet. Nico's looked all over the Underworld but—"

"I've found nothing," Nico said. "Not a book or a scroll, no parchment or stone slab, not even a scrap or a scribble about it. I couldn't even find a spec of dust that mentioned anything about Lethafora Anathema."

" _Lethafora Anathema?_ " Annabeth asked.

"That's what the curse is called," He replied. "But we've just dubbed it the Duplicator's Curse."

"That sounds a bit easier," She laughed.

"Maybe you couldn't find anything because they don't want it found," Luke said. "Maybe our parents wanted it to stay a secret." The room fell quiet, the sounds of side conversations disappearing, as we took in his claim. It wasn't that far fetched of an idea, but…

"They'd need a reason than," I said. "If they wanted it hidden they'd need a reason to hide it in the first place." Thalia swept her fingers through her hair, holding her head in place, like she was afraid it might fall off.

"We've never even considered that. I mean, did we ever even have to?" Her eyebrows scrunched together. "If it was hidden, their reasoning would obviously correlate to the curse, and taking that into consideration—"

"It would have to have happened before!" Annabeth shouted, face alight. The plate tumbled off her knee and clattered to the floor. "Oh shit."

"Don't worry about it," I said, smiling at her reaction. To my side, Nico grimaced.

"Not to put a damper on the idea," He said. "But if this had happened before, wouldn't we have heard about it? A bunch of demigods stealing their parent's power? I'm sure they would've been killed and that sounds like the perfect bedtime story to scare everyone to Hades' and back."

Luke stepped forward and gestured to himself, "Or the perfect idea for someone looking to do some damage. Maybe they didn't want anyone else to find out, trying to protect themselves."

"It still doesn't add up," I said. "Who were the original ones that did this? Did they just erase them from the past? Can you even do that?" I turned towards Annabeth, "Would you know?" She pondered for a moment, eyes glazing over; a faint ring of silver grew around her iris.

"No," She frowned and the ring disappeared. "Even the stuff I knew before the curse, I don't recall any random demigods, and all the documented ones are either gods or dead. But history is cataloged, for the most part. Everything is kept somewhere. Remembrance is too tempting, not everyone can let go of the past."

"What are you saying? That the past demigods, the spell, could be lost in some old tomb?" Nico frowned. "I checked the Underworld."

"Maybe it's not the Underworld," Annabeth said. "Maybe it's someplace we wouldn't check."

"Like where? Apollo's Haiku Diary?" I asked.

"Hey!" Lee said. "That's a lie."

Zoe snorted, "We all know it's true."

" ** _Shhh!_** Listen," Annabeth said, waving her hands. "Not that it's someplace we wouldn't check because it's unlikely, but maybe we wouldn't check it because _we don't know it exists."_

"So, secret." Katie stated. "Unknown to us, reserved to the gods?"

"That's the only thing I can think of," Annabeth said.

"I mean. . ." Thalia scanned the room. "Nico has pretty decent access to the Underworld, that means the rest of us might have access to our parent's homes. We haven't tried searching, mostly because I'm sure the punishment for going through my father's underwear drawer is worse than for this curse, but if they've got solid gold safe's hidden everywhere—"

"Wait," Clarisse cut in. "Are you asking me to sift through my dad's personal belongings? Like his room, his summer home, the travel pockets in his chariot? That would set off alarms so fast it isn't even slightly funny."

"I know, but if that's our best bet, what other choice do we have?"

"I don't think you're headed in the right direction," Luke said. It wasn't a smart idea.

Everyone turned towards him, which didn't seem to be what he had wanted, seeing as he crossed his arms and squared his shoulders in response. A nauseating tension filled the room, one that often grew before a fight, yet no one seemed ready to pounce. Thalia stood to face him, mirroring his stance with the exception of her head, which was titled in question.

"Why not?" She asked.

"I just don't think that—"

"That what?" Annabeth spoke up. "That what we're looking for might be locked away?"

"No," Luke said, gaze sticking to Annabeth; if he didn't keep himself so deadpanned, I'd say he was surprised she addressed him. "Not that part. I don't think this, whatever it is, would be with the gods' personal trinkets."

"And why _exactly_ , would you think that?" Clarisse asked.

"It's because he knows something," Thalia said. "I mentioned it to him when we were escaping to the island and he said he'd heard of _Lethafora Anathema_ before."

"You know something?" Clarisse pushed off the couch. Luke grew defensive, eyes narrowing towards her.

"No, I don't," He said. "Get off my case."

"You want me off _your_ case?" Clarisse grew red, hands balling up tight at her sides. Pollux jumped up and curled his hand around her arm, which she shook off. "No way, don't even try to stop me. That brat's had an ass-kicking reserved for a long time."

"Hold on," Thalia shouted. Her voice held a certain authority, so much that it made whatever nerves I had dissipate completely. "We're never going to figure out anything if we argue."

"Rather out of character for you," Clarisse sneered.

"Shut up," Thalia said. "And just sit down, will you?" With a bit of cohering, Pollux pulled Clarisse back down to the couch. "Now, Luke would you like to tell us what you know?" He rubbed at his face ferociously and groaned into his open palms.

"Not right now, if that's a possibility," He said. Thalia sighed, dropping back down in her chair. I decided to take it from there.

"I'd ask how you know we were headed in the wrong direction, but there really isn't much room to wonder." I said. "So, what'd you learn from Kronos?"

Luke grimaced, "Not just him. It was all of them, they mentioned it sometimes. As a Plan B or a last resort."

"Mentioned the spell?"

"Not exactly, that spell just came up in conversation every now and then, but there was this….place. They'd talk about it constantly, they were always frustrated with it. It's supposed to have everything you could ever imagine and I'd bet that spell was in there."

"Alright," I leaned forward, held his eyes from across the room."Tell us where and what it is."

"Never gonna happen."

"Bullshit!" Clarisse screamed, jumping off the couch once more. "That's bullshit. You are in no position to be withholding information."

"She's right," I said.

"I don't care." Luke replied.

"You should care!" Thalia jumped up. "What the hell is going on with you, didn't you just tell me never again? You told me we can start again, Luke." His shoulders slumped and he faltered back.

"I'm sorry," His voice was quiet.

"We already got sorry," Annabeth's was unwavering. "We don't need sorry, we need options."

"She's right." Thalia said. He glanced between them, face growing pale.

"No….no. Listen, I've never been there. They described it. Something wasn't right in the way spoke, almost as if they were even unsure. Titans were unsure, titans. I'm not going to suggest a fatal road trip."

"Oh, you're not going to suggest shit _8-Mile,_ because I'm going to beat a clean answer right out of you." Clarisse started again and this time, she drew a knife from her back pocket.

"Hold on," Thalia yelled.

That's when the voices reached us. Everyone paused.

Nico lifted a brow, "What the—"

Annabeth grabbed my arm, "Percy, someone's—"

"Don't worry," I smiled as an electric buzz hit my temple; I could feel the others relax. "They're finally here."

"Thank gods," Katie said. "They're safe."

"What?" Annabeth asked.

"They're okay," Clarisse gasped and her knife slipped from her grasp.

 **.**

ANNABETH:

The voices came with shuffling, chatter, and eventually bodies.

There were several people: one had choppy, brown hair, another was tweaking with wire, and there was a couple dressed in purple, but their faces were unknown to me. Some of them ran through the room to talk to others, but the one who stood at the front of the group made me gasp.

"Percy…" I whispered.

He gripped my hand, "I told you she was alive."

I blinked furiously, thinking after everything that had happened this could've still been a dream, but it wasn't. Her hair was midnight black, flowing down her back, and her eyes were a shimmering blue. Everyone stared at the newcomers, but her gaze was trained on only one. Breaking away from Beckendorf, she smiled wide and waved.

"Clarisse!" Silena yelled and scurried across the room in a matter of moments. She jumped into her arms and without a pause—kissed her. Right in the middle of the room. In front of everyone. I panicked and glanced at Pollux, then at Beckendorf, but both of them seemed utterly unaffected. I swept the room next, but everyone looked the same. Together, Clarisse and Silena rocked back and forth for a few moments, seemingly unaware of everyone around them, and finally broke apart when Lee let out a small _aww._

"I'll throttle you, Fletcher." Clarisse said, but it was half-hearted.

"I just like seeing the happy-couple happy, is that a crime?"

"Yes," Zoe stated.

"Percy," I whispered again and he leaned towards me. "What's…" There wasn't a way to finish my sentence, I couldn't figure out what was going on. Clarisse was cuddling with Pollux only moments before, it didn't make sense. A faint ring grew in my ears, not loud enough to cause a disturbance, but just enough that I was caught off guard. With the sound came copious information, too many to find a clear answer and I took a deep breath before trying to blink them away.

"Annabeth," He said expectantly, before noticing my irritation. "Are you okay? Is something wrong?"

I shook my head, "No, the spell—the curse, it's fine. Can we lea—"

"Annabeth," My head snapped up. Silena was there, only three feet away, with her arms extended. There was a fresh flush in her cheeks and a slight glisten around the rim of her eyes that made her look so very alive and the feeling hit me again. She wasn't dead, she was here, she was right in front of me. _Figure out the kiss later, Chase,_ I thought and pushed off the couch to fling my arms around her with so much force we almost fell over. "Nice to see you!"

"Oh my gods, you're here," I gasped, pulling back to take another look. "I can't believe it."

She wiped at her eyes, "Me? What about you! I heard what happened, I'm so glad you're okay."

"Trust me, I wouldn't have been if it weren't for her," I nodded towards Clarisse, who crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged.

"It was nothing, Chase."

Silena rolled her eyes and turned back towards her, "You always say that." Then, her head swung back and she whispered, "You know, she'll do all these amazing things and never talk about them, but something small happens and she won't stop going on about it."

I snorted, "That's so true, one time she beat me at a foot race and wouldn't shut up about it for a week."

"Hey!" Clarisse said and Silena laughed, head thrown back, but as she did I noticed something I hadn't before. On the right side of her face, towards the back, running vertical from her jaw to her cheek was a scar. It wasn't that big, barely reaching her cheekbone, but grew wider at the base, and held a faint white undertone. Restraint has never been included in a demigod's required list.

"Your cheek," I gestured to it. "What happened?" She paused, stared at me perplexed, touched her cheek, then realized.

"Oh this, it was the Drakon. In the Underworld, it was all gone, but when I came back, I thought it'd come back with me. The curse must have taken it away, healed it—all except for this," She ran her fingers across it. "I've assumed maybe there was the worst part of my wounds, sometimes I think if I try hard enough I could heal it, but I don't really want to."

"Of course," I grabbed her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Heroes' work comes with scars, it's just part of the job."

"You'd be beautiful no matter what," Clarisse said, walking up to peck her on the cheek.

"Absolute perfection!" Beckendorf seconded, breaking his conversation with….someone. He was tall, almost as tall as Percy, with broad shoulders and blond hair cropped short, wearing a purple shirt that read "SPQR" across the front with glasses hanging from the neckline. If I squinted, I could just make out a small, faded scar on his upper lip and his vibrant, blue eyes.

"Percy!" I waved behind me. "Is that?"

"Yeah," He stood up, placed a hand behind my back. "That's him. Should we get the introductions started?" I smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Sorry! Already promised Thalia."

 _"What?"_

"Yep!" Thalia said, sliding herself between us, smug and proud. "Sorry not sorry, Perce." With her hand she pushed him back into the couch and dragged me off, leaving him both appalled and amused. "Jason is going to love you, if he doesn't, I'll make him. Hey Jace!"

He turned his head at the call, "Thalia!"

"I have somebody for you to meet!" She pulled me all the way up to him, energy radiating off her in waves. "You better _know_ who this is, I didn't quiz you for nothing." He chuckled and held out his hand, flashing me a brilliant smile.

"I know who you are," He said. "Hi Annabeth, my name's Jason, I've heard a lot about you."

"Wow," I said, taking his hand and giving it a firm shake. "You really are the All-American Hero."

He scratched at the back of his neck, "Oh gods, is she telling people that?"

"Yeah, but don't worry. I'll keep the rumors to a minimum," I said. "But speaking of rumors…I heard you've been attending a Roman camp your entire life." His eyes widened slightly and I squared my shoulders. Out of everything Percy had told me so far, the giant, Roman city with an updated military was one of the things that stood out the most. Considering our history, nothing he said had eased my nerves. "Not to put a damper on our introduction but I'm sure you can understand my interest."

"Of course," He nodded. "I should have expected it honestly. To answer your question, yes. I've been there practically my entire life and I can assure you, we're no threat."

"Sorry Jason, but you're no longer allowed to make those sort of statements." We all turned to the source of the voice, which belonged to a girl, who stood off to the side, a good distance away from the others. She looked about my age, dressed in sweatpants and a tank top, looking disheveled, almost as if she'd been interrupted while changing; her hair, a rich, dark brown, was gathered into a long braid that flowed over her shoulder. Her stance was solid, her eyes were threatening, and her jaw was clenched tight.

"Reyna, I told you I'm not a threat."

"And you expect me to believe you?"

"Wait," Thalia held up her hands. "I'm confused. Does she have a mark?"

"No, or at least, not yet." Jason said.

"What the hell, Jason," She whispered. "She's in danger, she could be killed. She could be a spy!"

"I'm right here," Reyna said.

"This isn't James Bond," I threw out and Thalia groaned.

"This is so bad."

"Listen, she wouldn't leave us alone," Jason explained. "I couldn't get out of camp without taking her with us. Do you think I want her in danger?"

Reyna scoffed, "Well, seeing as part of _my_ camp is now in ruins, it really seems like you do."

"I'm sorry," Thalia said, voice inching higher. "Please repeat that." Reyna stepped forward, drawing closer to Jason.

"I had just finished sparring and had returned to my apartment, when guards had run into my chambers, alerting me that camp was under attack. I'd expected monsters, titans—" She stopped, straightened her back, took a deep breath. "But what I did not expect was those two," She gestured across the room to two others, both of which I had not noticed. "To be fighting Lord Mars and him to end up being the source of the problem.

"Mars?" I asked. "As in—"

"What?" Thalia yelled. "They came to your camp! Dad didn't see you, did he?"

"Father?" Reyna blanched. "Wait, you two are related."

"No, he didn't. Hopefully, he doesn't realize. That's a slim chance though," Jason said. "And yes, we're siblings. Listen, when we were trying to get away Reyna cut us off and you know what happens to people if they're near us when we travel. I didn't want her to get shocked, so I brought her with us."

"Now, they're going to think she's one of us. She'll be in even more trouble," Thalia said, placing her hands on her hips. "She won't be able to go back for awhile, she could be killed."

"I don't care how much danger I'm in," Reyna said. "Camp Jupiter is my first priority."

"And Camp Jupiter is where _exactly?_ " I asked. She turned to me, disinterest in her features.

"And who are you?"

"Annabeth Chase, Counselor of the Athena Cabin at Camp Half-Blood." Suddenly, there was interest. A lot of interest. From behind me, I could hear Katie call out.

"Annabeth, you really gotta stop the humbleness. At this point you're basically the leader, anyway."

I rolled my eyes but could feel the blush creep up my cheeks, "Thanks, Katie."

Reyna's interest had turned into shock and she scanned the room, most likely wondering which of us were Greeks and which weren't—or at least, that's what I guessed. Her eyes burned a hole into Jason for a moment, before she squared her shoulders and stepped closer to me. "Nice to meet you," She held out her hand. "It seems we've been thrown in the dark."

"It seems we have," I took her hand and gave it a shake, unable to stop the smile growing on my face. "You know, I think I'm going to like you."

She eyed me warily, but the corner of her mouth quirked up. "The feeling may be mutual."

"Fantastic!" Jason said, still looking slightly panicked. "We're getting along, that's good! See, this isn't so terrible, is it?"

"Please," Reyna muttered and rolled her eyes. "Well, it appears I am going to be staying here for awhile. I don't mean to bother, but would you possibly have a set of clothes I could borrow? Anything that isn't sweats, please."

"Of course," Thalia said, then nodded towards Zoë. "Please, help her."

"Sure," Zoë said and escorted Reyna out of the room. I could hear their voices fading as they walked away, "So, you seem like your the kind of woman to beat up a man while smiling…" The room fell into silence, small whispers being passed at random. Jason still stood in front of me, but I found it hard to strike up another conversation, especially with the apologetic look he kept giving Thalia. I glanced back towards Percy, who was talking with Nico and one of the girls who had walked in. She was black, had brown curls and golden eyes that gleamed as she gestured wildly. Her face was alight and her smile was wide, but Nico's expression held concern. When Percy saw me staring, he winked and patted the space next to him. I opened my mouth, ready to shout something clever, but got cut off.

"Wait!" Lee shouted. "What are we all still sitting here for? Everyone's here, let's spar!" At his words, fire ignited in my bones, a complete opposite to what I'd felt for the past few days. It was fresh, strong, cleared my vision and had me on the balls of my feet. This was familiar, it was adrenaline, the kind I'd felt a hundred times before a fight, but it was magnified, so much I dug my nails into my palm to keep grounded.

"Hold on, maybe we shouldn't," Katie said. "Let's give Annabeth and Luke a day or two to rest."

"No!" I shouted, sounding a bit more enthusiastic than I wanted to admit. "I'm ready to spar, I feel fine. Let's go find some open space."

Clarisse laughed and walked past me, "We've got more than open space, Chase." People started filing out after her, and I took a deep breath, unable to stop the shaking that had started in my legs. Percy pushed off the couch, hurried towards me, let our hands brush against each other.

"You're alright with this?" He asked.

"I'm even better than alright."

Behind us, someone shouted and we whipped our heads around in unison; it was Luke. He was stuck in the corner with his hands up, while Beckendorf and Lee stalked towards him.

"Listen guys, let's not be hasty," He said. "Katie just said we should rest—"

Lee cut in, "No way, Castellan, we've already made bets."

"I told you this was gonna happen," Beckendorf said. Luke made a desperate bolt to the side, but they tackled him and hauled him up by the arms. He threw his head back and yelled, although it wasn't at all panicked, as they hauled him out of the room.

"Let's go," I said and grabbed Percy by the arm, running out of the room after them.

 **·**

PERCY:

The training floor was something else—everything in this place was something else obviously, every room so much bigger than I'd ever been used to, rising in quantity until I couldn't fathom what we'd end up using them for—but the floor was _something else._

It wasn't even a room entirely, because there was no logical reason to have it be one. Our powers uncontrolled and unchecked caused to much damage if we weren't careful, so we had taken precautions. The area started in a nook, which could roughly be compared to a theatre in size, that held stacks of dummies, rows of throwaway weapons, and a line of lockers for visitors, although we'd never have any. Then, through a set of barn doors, it continued on outdoors. The floor was about the size of two football fields laid side to side, and had pillars running along either side, holding up the roof. The entire floor sat atop part of the island I'd eroded down, and from either side I could hear the ocean beat up against the rocks that had broken off.

Annabeth wasn't pleased.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I noticed her grimace.

"I'm sorry it's just," She shot me a sheepish smile. "So wrong."

"Wrong?"

"The design, the structure," She gestured around and I doubled over, laughing. "Percy, stop! I mean, barn doors? With Greek columns? Come on!"

"Hey!" Clarisse said, throwing to dummies over her shoulder. "Don't criticize my modifications. I like my doors, plus I'm the one who put down padding. I don't know these bozo's were thinking before I came around." I shot her the finger out of reflex and immediately dodged the helmet that came hurtling my way.

"Who needs padding," I said. "We took the pain, like real heroes."

"Whatever loser," She said and trudged past us, far out onto the floor.

"Why don't you just use the area out front?" I turned to see Luke, who was staring up at the pillars. "There's a huge, grassy field out there."

"We do sometimes, but here we don't have to lug things to far."

"Can't you make them appear or something?"

"Yeah, but this is…" I paused and his eyes turned to me.

"Normal?" He offered and I nodded. "Got it." Again, the urge to question him scratched at the back of my head, but I shoved it down. It was time to focus on sparring, getting Annabeth and Luke comfortable with their powers was the most important issue at the moment.

"Alright!" Clarisse yelled, causing others to run out onto the floor, each of them strapping on armor; Lee ran out with nothing. "Fletcher, get back in the front room and put on armor, now!"

"But I can heal myself!"

"Not fast enough for me!"

Annabeth snorted and grabbed a breastplate, "This place is joke city, isn't it?" I grabbed her a pair of arm guards, along with another for myself, and shrugged.

"Sort of," I handed her the armor, in exchange for my own breastplate. "But so is camp."

"Can't argue with that." By the time we had finished suiting up, mostly everyone had gathered out on the floor. We jogged out to them, but midway Annabeth halted and her hand flew to her hip.

"My dagger!"

"Huh?"

"My dagger," She kept patting herself down, as if it might miraculously appear. "It's gone. It completely slipped my mind."

"Hey!" Beckendorf called out and we turned to him. He held out his hand and the dagger appeared in a shimmer. "Looking for this?" We ran up to him and Annabeth took it from him, letting out a relived sigh.

"Where was it?" She said.

"Don't worry, you had it on you when you arrived here. It was just upstairs."

Annabeth's brows furrowed, before she smiled wide. "You can call weapons too you?"

"Yeah, but not just that. You have to see what kind of weapons I've been working on, it's so amazing."

"No way!" They began to talk animatedly with one another, slowly drifting into conversation that no one ever completely understood if you weren't from their cabins. Clarisse, unfortunately, wasn't in the mood.

"Both of you," She shouted, they paused. "Stop, we're sparring, not fan-girling."

"If it was about bloodshed you wouldn't be saying that," Annabeth said.

"You are correct," Clarisse said, gathering everyone's attention. "But my interests don't matter right now, because what we should focus on is sparring, which is actually one of my interests but that's just luck. So, who's going first?"

"Right here," Annabeth raised her hand.

"Alright," Clarisse shrugged. "Who's—"

"Me!" I shouted, quick enough for it to be noticeable.

"Wow, what a surprise," She clapped her hands together. "Alright let's go." Everyone started to disperse, heading to the far edges of the floor. As Thalia passed, she clapped Annabeth on the shoulder and smirked.

"Kick his ass. Your his weak spot."

"Sure thing," Annabeth said. A faint tinge of pink grew on her cheeks; I could feel mine grow warm in response. Her eyes did a quick sweep of the area and her brows furrowed. "Wait, I thought were were just picking pairs? Aren't we sparring?"

"We are."

"Then why is everyone lounging around on the sides?"

"Cause they're waiting for us to start."

"Us? _Just_ us?"

"Yes."

"But why do we need all this space to ourselves? The curse can't be _that_ bad."

I placed my hands on her shoulders and she covered them with her own, "Bad wouldn't be the exact word to use at this moment, I'd say out of control is a better term. More space, less chance of accidental injury."

She took a deep breath, "Alright, alright. What are we starting with? The basics, straw dummies, tap-outs—"

"Annabeth." She stopped, her hands tightened on top of mine. They were clammy. "Try to use your powers, that's all."

"But Athena's children don't have powers like you," She whispered. "This isn't something I'm used to, this is new territory. I'm not sure _how_ to use them." Annabeth wasn't wrong, even though I hadn't put much thought to it. Her entire cabin was brilliant, her even more so, but never once had I seen them use a power that wasn't connected to their head. I pulled my hands from her shoulders and pondered it briefly.

"Think of it this way," I said. "Listen to what your mind is telling you, listen to what your body is telling you. Trust your judgement, trust your instincts, trust yourself."

She raised a brow, "Been thinking about that all day, have you?"

I grinned, "And most importantly, give me everything you've got. This isn't just sparring, this is a fight. I'm not gonna go easy on you."

"Is that a challenge, Seaweed Brain?"

" _Dam,_ straight."

"Dam?" She shoved me away, laughing. "You're such a dweeb." We backed away from one another, a decent thirty feet growing between us. Annabeth drew her dagger, threw it back and forth from one hand to another. I stretched my limbs briefly and she scoffed when I lingered on my arms. I heard a low whistle come from the sides.

"Strip tease, Jackson!" Lee shouted.

"Shut up," Clarisse yelled. "Chase, no weapons. You can use them halfway in." Annabeth squinted towards her, but sheathed the dagger anyway. "Now, I'd shout a few basic rules, but I know you're both going to ignore them anyway. Start!"

Silence followed her words and anticipation settled in my chest. Annabeth stared at me, titled her head—she was waiting for me to start. If I thought about it too much, I knew any plan I came up with she'd end up ten steps ahead of me, so I let my reflexes take over. There was a tug in my gut and on the far end of the floor, the ocean surged up over the edge, crashing past a few pillars and rolling out onto the floor. She whipped her head around and her hands flexed at her sides, one reached for her hip, but froze. It wouldn't work, you can't fight water with a dagger, she knew that. The water rolled towards her in a wave, large, dark, and frothing at the edges, getting closer by the second. She turned to face it in full, lifting her head up high. Nothing happened, I was going to let it drop.

"Jackson, you keep that wave on her. _Don't_ back out," Clarisse screamed. The wave began to crest, it was going to knock her over. My limbs locked up, waiting for the moment, but it never came. The wave parted around her, getting pushed to either side. It curled around her, as if a force was surrounding her, denying the water any access to her vicinity. Her body turned, following it as it rolled right over her head and straight into…me.

I went tumbling to the ground and though I could breathe, came up sputtering nonetheless. Laughter came from both sides of floor and I grimaced. Before I could move, a foot pushed down on my chest, pining me to the ground.

"So," Annabeth had her hands on her hips. "This wasn't much of a challenge."

"Are you kidding?" I grabbed her foot, the one that wasn't pressing against my sternum. "We're just getting started." With a tug, she came crashing to the floor and I rolled away, jumping up on my feet. She looked at me—appalled—and pressed her hands against the floor behind her head, lifting her lower half up into the air, gaining enough momentum to fling her body upwards and onto her feet.

"Show off," I muttered.

"I'll take that compliment!" She charged at me, pulling out her dagger and striking at me in short, quick swipes. I ducked out of the way once, twice, thrice, and then brought a jet of water between us, trapping her arm inside it. It solidified and she, stuck in place, stared at the water in frustration, desperately pulling her arm back, but it wouldn't budge. "What is this? It's like _jello._ "

"I know," I laughed.

Her face grew red, "How did you do this?"

"No clue!" I shrugged. "But I guess this means I've won."

"Fat chance, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth kept tugging at her arm, letting out a grunt as her attempts were found futile. I was ready to reach in and pull the dagger from her, but her hand shot up, making me pause. A calculating look came across her features and she glanced towards the sidelines, eyes finding Clarisse. "Hey! Anything goes, right?"

"Yeah!" Clarisse replied. "Give him anything you got! Just don't kill him."

"Annabeth!" Thalia piped up. "Whatever you're thinking, go for it! He can take a hit!"

"Real nice, Thalia. Thanks!" I yelled and lunged forward, ready to take Annabeth down before she could make a move, but I caught her eyes through the water—it was a mistake. The gray had grown to that almost-silver again and without pause, it brought me to my knees; Riptide clattered to the floor beside me. A shrill, deafening whistle filled my head and I could practically taste led. I froze, unable to function, as if my brain had breached security restrictions and was moving steadily towards overload. There was nothing I could do, I lost my focus. The water came cascading to the floor, washing up against my knees and a moment later, the noise disappeared. I glanced upwards, Annabeth was blinking at her now free arm, looking a bit surprised.

"How did you do that?" I asked.

"I don't know, something just. . .my mind it's, it's hard to explain."

"Don't worry about it."

Her eyes drifted down, "Are you okay? I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I'm fine, you don't have to apologize. By the way, sorry about this." I took my hand, thrust it forward, and the water surged upwards into her, throwing her back ten feet. She hit the floor with a thud and her dagger flew from her hand, rolling even further back. She pushed herself up on her hands, half-drenched and—from the look in her eyes—I'd say completely pissed.

"You're dead, Kelp Head." She extended her hand backwards and the dagger flew to it willingly.

 _"What?"_ I screamed, as she pushed off the ground and charged towards. "How can you do that already?"

"I'm,"—she slashed, I stepped back—"a fast"—she stepped forward, spun 'round, elbowed my chest—"learner." I grabbed her arm, threw a punch to her gut. She grunted, but threw a hand around the back of my neck and brought her knee up into my stomach. I blocked the knee the second time around and punched her again, getting her to loosen her grip. Tumbling back in a reverse somersault, I let energy flow through my fingertips and as I stood, extended my hand for Riptide. The celestial bronze hit my hand just in time for me to block another blow from her dagger, but the more we fought, the faster she became. Every move I tried, she was one step ahead, as if she had planned my moves for me and designed them specifically to fail. Her blade flew back and forth, nicked my arm then my leg, and I realized this once again was the curse. I backed up quickly, trying to create distance between us, looking for a way out. Behind her, I spotted leftover water lying distilled and I drew it towards us in a mist, surrounding us both. She stopped, rubbed viciously at her eyes, "Fuck! Saltwater."

It would've been smart to stop, throw in the towel, but she was caught off-guard and the adrenaline was still heavy, clouding my senses. Throwing caution out the window, I charged.

It was a mistake.

At the last moment, she opened her eyes—now bloodshot from the water—and spun around, lifting her leg to land a kick against my chest, sending me flying backwards. I landed with a hard thud and stayed there, staring up at the ceiling as pain blossomed around my ribs. After a moment, she appeared above me and for the second time, pressed her foot against my chest.

"Stay down," She huffed.

"Yes, ma'am."

She scanned the room, "He forfeits!" Applause rang out, echoing against the pillars and I rolled my eyes. _Traitors_ , I thought. Annabeth glanced back down, smiled, and offered her hand, but I waved it off. She frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just give me a minute," I replied, but her eyes traveled down and she gasped, removing her foot. I lifted my head up to see what had made her freak, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

"Oh my gods," She kneeled down next to me, hands flailing. "Oh my gods, there's blood."

"Yeah?" I asked, staring at the cuts she had landed. One was my forearm, the other at the top of my thigh. Both were of a decent size and blood had started to leak over the edge; I'd have to bandage them. "So what?"

"Percy! The Curse of Achilles'? Where is it? I wouldn't have cut you if I'd known it was gone!"

Achilles… _oh shit._ I cussed under my breath and sat up, hissing as my ribs cried out in protest. The mention of the curse recalled a memory, or several, many of which I refused to re-live, but it was enough for me to gather an explanation. "I don't have it anymore. It disappeared during the time we were captured, can't exactly remember when. Sorry, I left that out."

"How can you leave that out?"

"Just forgot about it, I guess?" I said. Annabeth opened her mouth, looking ready to chastise, but I stopped her. "Don't worry, we have accelerated healing. The cuts will be gone by tonight, my ribs on the other hand—"

"Okay, but _how_ did it disappear, how did it get removed without you dying, gods—wait, your ribs?!"

"Yeah, one or two of them might be just a little, teensy weensy bit fractured."

"Is that cause of my kick?" Annabeth threw her hands over her mouth. "Oh gods, what am I?"

I laughed, "You're a demigoddess with a freaky curse. Weird to say, but this is normal. Seriously, Katie almost broke Nico's arm once. This happens all the time."

"Oh, I see," She said. "Heightened strength, new abilities. We've entered a Marvel Comic Book."

"Something like that, now help me up. It's the least you can do, She-Hulk." She grabbed my hand, hoisting me up slowly, and held my waist as I found my balance. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," She said, bumping my hip lightly.

"Hey!" Clarisse called out. We turned to her. "Are you two done? We've got more sparring to do!"

"More?" Annabeth shouted.

"I'm out!" I yelled.

"What a shame," Clarisse said. "Guess who's next." From the back of the crowd, Luke was shoved forwards. He cussed and shuffled in place for a moment, before bolting for the exit. "Well," Clarisse pulled a whistle from her pocket. "That's a weird way to start. Beckendorf, Pollux, at the whistle, chase after him. We've got a long day ahead of us."

 **.**

OLYMPIAN THRONE ROOM:

"We have to kill them."

"I'm not letting you kill my daughter, Zeus."

"Why? Do you have a soft spot when it comes to your _daughters?"_

Demeter turned in her throne so she was facing him and sneered, "At least none of _my_ daughters threw me on _my back_ and was able to throw in a low blow at the same time. What is it with sky deities and their _balls?_ " Zeus began to rise from his throne only to pause at Apollo's hysterical giggling.

"Ohh, that's good." Apollo cried, then promptly stopped at Zeus' glare.

"That's what I thought," He said, falling back into the throne.

"You all need to stop acting like children," Hera shook her head. "This does nothing for us, we're the Olympians. We should have them captured by now."

"That's what you said when Zeus' bolt went missing. _We should have found it by now,_ you said," Dionysus grumbled. "And look how that turned out." Hera's eyes burned in his direction, but she steeled herself. Adding lumber to the fire would only delay the process.

"It doesn't matter," She said. "We should already have them locked away."

"Dead," Zeus supplied.

"No!" Demeter yelled.

 _"Yes,"_ Ares said.

"No," Poseidon's voice echoed through the room, attracting everyone's attention. He hadn't spoken for sometime. "We will hold a trial, it's only fair."

"Since when have you ever been an advocate for fairness, brother?" Zeus said. "You're just bitter your champion turned out to be a traitor."

"I will not repeat myself, keep your comments about my son out of your mouth or else—"

"Speaking of champions, where is Triton? Didn't you send him out to look for them?"

Poseidon's gaze drifted to the hearth, "How do you know they're in the ocean?"

"I said specifically Thalia and that Castellan boy were heading towards the ocean. Now, I know you've been alive long enough to know neither of them would be able to control the water themselves, so clearly your son must have been helping them."

"Yes, but does that mean they're hiding in the sea—"

Zeus gritted his teeth, "You're. Stalling."

"Did you ever even send for Triton? Did you alert anyone?" Athena interrupted. There was a pause as the room waited for an answer, but none came.

"You never even sent for him?" Zeus bellowed, rising from his thrown. "Do so, _IMMEDIATELY."_ Poseidon grimaced but waved his hand nonetheless. A moment later, a breeze ran through the halls, bringing with it, the smell of ocean spray.

"Father," Triton said, as he appeared. His hair was swept over his shoulder and his trident, which glowed softly, was trapped across his back. He bowed briefly. "Olympians, what may I do for you?"

"We need your assistance," Athena said. "In finding the. . .traitors."

"Of course, Athena, whatever I can do." A smirk marked his cheek and a glimmer came to his eye, both malicious in nature. "Those children have made a horrible mistake."

"It was no mistake." Ares said.

"Very true."

Athena shook her head, "We believe they may be hiding amongst the waves, we need you to do a quick and thorough sweep of the area. Search parties must be sent out as well."

"I will complete the tasks with haste," He turned to Poseidon. "Father, why didn't you tell me of this? It is not a difficult job, I promise I will have it done soon."

The god bit his cheek, "No reason, thank you, Triton. Report back to me first if you come across anything unusual."

"Of course," He said, vanishing back into mist. The room was left in silence, an eery type of quiet. The kind you experience in a waiting room or funeral home; it was the silence of memories . . . of mourners

* * *

thanks for reading!

reviews and favs are highly appreciated, _especially_ the reviews xxx

i'm trying to better my writing skills, since i want to write novels one day, and if you see anything that could be improved or doesn't quite make sense, please let me know so i can work better at it and make sure you all have a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat type story!


	5. Luke's Ass-Kicking Continues

hello! i'm back with the fifth chapter (which is technically part two of the fourth chapter, but shh). thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter! i'm glad you're all enjoying it! it means so much that you've taken interest in my fic, i'm so grateful.

well, here it is! happy reading xxx

* * *

THALIA:

We'd been hiding out for two weeks.

There wasn't much to do, so we trained and slept and ate, and repeat. Sparring hours were more than anyone had wanted, but we needed the practice; especially now that everyone was in one place, together.

Except for Sam, that was. Nausea swept through me at the thought, she'd been missing since our parents found out. None of us had been able to sense her, and Iris message was out of the question, but with each passing day we grew more tense. _She wouldn't have been taken down easily,_ I thought to myself, _she's too clever and she's unknown anyway…unknown to everyone except her mother._ I shook my head, pushing the thought away. She was fine, she had to be fine.

There were other problems anyway, all of which required my attention. Annabeth and Beckendorf's quick attempts to start re-modeling, Luke's refusal to give up any information, which really wasn't making anyone like him more, me included…problems, problems, problems. I groaned and dropped my head to the table where I'd been sitting, well where _we'd_ been sitting, in the kitchen.

Currently, we were dealing with another problem: Reyna.

"We can't let you leave." I sighed into the tabletop. "It's too dangerous."

Reyna slammed her fist down onto the wood, standing up out of her seat. "Gods dammit, aren't you listening to me? I have a solution."

"No," I stood up myself to stare her in the eye. "You don't have a solution, you have an idea. And the only part of the idea you've told me is that you need to leave." My muscles tensed and I rolled my eyes in response, "Jason, if you're going to get nervous over me arguing with your girlfriend, please don't share the muscle clinching with me."

"I'm not his girlfriend," She said, but glanced to the side, where he sat next to me. "And you are very lucky we are the only one's here, that is not the proper way to be speaking at a meeting."

 _Thals, you are so dead._ Jason thought and I bit my tongue to keep from replying out loud.

"Listen, you can't just leave this island." I tried again. "You'll be in danger, the gods' might not bless you with time for an explanation; you could be killed."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to go back to Camp Jupiter. I'm going to ask for help from an old friend."

"Oh, that's fantastic, would you mind telling us who this person is?"

"No."

"Is it anyone I would know?"

"No."

"Could some of us go with you?"

"No."

"And you want me to just let you leave? You're kidding, right?" I threw my hands up and turned to Jason, "Would _you_ know who she's talking about?" He shook his head.

"Not a clue."

"Oh, so you're the praetors of New Rome, but you know nothing about each other?"

"We know things," Jason said defensively. "Just not everything."

 _A little hurt, are we?_ I thought and he dropped his face to his palms.

"He's right," Reyna said, causing him to stare up at her. "I didn't know about this mess, or about you being his _sister,_ but I'm still here, aren't I?"

"Where are you going with this?" I asked.

"I trusted you, all of you. I could have escaped—"

"You wouldn't have gotten very far."

"She could have," Jason mumbled.

"I could have," She seconded. "But I didn't. I stayed because I trusted that none of you had caused this on purpose, and now I'm asking you to trust me."

I dropped back down in my seat, "It's not that I don't trust you, it's that again, you could be killed."

"You clearly haven't been convinced of my capabilities, let's spar again."

"Don't worry," I rubbed the back of my shoulder, where she'd hit me a few days ago. "I'm convinced. You beat me, _while_ I was using the curse."

"Exactly," She said, leaning closer. "Let me go."

"I…

"Thalia." A voice came from the hallway and we turned towards it, to see Hazel peek out from around the corner and smile sheepishly. She had her hands grasped in front of her, as if in apology for eavesdropping, and took a few cautious, but confident steps forward. "I think you should let Reyna go."

"Why?" I asked.

"I trust her. She's intelligent and brave and has good judgement and she ran New Rome alone for months while Jason was gone." Jason let out a labored breath. She looked to Reyna. "And I'm sure having Frank and I disappear after Jason did was no help at all, especially with Octavian being the prat he is, but she did it. And then when everything got settled we went and mucked it all up again, and I'm sure that wasn't easy. And then…all I'm trying to say is, I think if anyone can handle going on a solo mission, it's her."

Reyna nodded towards her and smiled."Thank you, Hazel."

"Hazel, you're right, but it still doesn't mean she has to go alone."

"I need to," Reyna said. "My friend, well, they're not that good with strangers."

"But they're good with you?"

"Yes, I know them, they won't see me as a threat. If I can get their help," She took a long look around the room and her shoulders sagged. "They might be able to fix this."

"How do you know?"

"I _don't_ , but it's another option. Besides, that Son of Hermes does not seem to be budging."

"Hey—" I started, but Jason grabbed my arm.

"Thalia, we should let her at least try."

"You know what? Fine, fine! Go, I don't care. I mean, why are you even asking? If you could've escaped, I'm sure you could've just left without warning. There's no reason to give us a heads up, so why?"

"Because I respect you."

"You've only known me for two weeks—"

"I still respect you," Her eyes bore into mine. "From what I've learned so far, you are a strong leader and a fierce woman, Thalia. I wouldn't do you the dishonor of fleeing without running this by you first. All I'm asking, is that you respect me enough to trust me to do this." A buzz filled the air between us, but it wasn't coming from me. She radiated confidence standing there, dressed in the borrowed armor she had barely taken off since she'd gotten hold of it. The days she'd spent with us were effecting her, but there was no way to tell if it was due to the curse; Jason had been right to bring here her. Even still, there was no way of getting her to stay. She was a warrior, that was for sure.

"Okay, you can go. First thing tomorrow."

She let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Of course, I still don't know why you're doing this though."

"Camp Jupiter," Hazel supplied, without hesitation.

"Yes," Reyna nodded. "Camp Jupiter. If there's any way a war with the Olympians might affect my camp, I'll do anything to stop it. Besides," She looked to Jason, who stood automatically, as if awaiting orders. "I can't go losing my co-praetor again, can I?"

"No, I guess you can't." He said, tension dispersing form him as his shoulders sagged.

"Oh, I see." I said. To the side, Hazel had a hand over her mouth, to stifle her laughter. "Makes perfect sense." After a moment's silence, I spoke up again. "Well, at least that's settled."

Suddenly, footsteps sounded off from the other room and Lee came barging in, his face was red. A knot formed in my stomach.

"Lee, what's wrong?" I asked.

"It's Annabeth," He coughed. "Down on the floor. _She's about to kill Luke._ "

"Son of a bitch."

·

Annabeth had Luke in a headlock.

They were stuck in a heap on the floor. Luke's face was red and Annabeth seemed to be shouting in his ear. People surrounded them in a wide circle and the closer I got, the more obvious it was why no one had stopped them. A dome shimmered around them, basically transparent if you hadn't been looking for it, and something told me it was impenetrable. Percy was banging against it, shouting to Annabeth, but she showed no sign of recognition. She just kept shouting; I'd gotten close enough to hear.

"Tell me!" Her arms flexed around his neck. "Tell me what you know!" Although he appeared out of breath and utterly defeated, Luke still managed a scowl.

"No, it's too dangerous!" His voice was choked, and he slapped his hand down against the padding. "Let me go. Let me go!"

"What is going on?" I yelled out. "Anybody?"

"Clarisse had them wrestle," Nico said. I turned to find him next to me. His sword was drawn and he had his hair tied up; he'd been sparring. "It was a bad idea."

"Fuck," I stepped up to my own wack against the dome. It was smooth against my fist and felt like glass, yet it didn't shatter no matter how much force I used. "Shit! Annabeth, stop this right now!"

"Annabeth, please!" Percy yelled. "Can you even hear us?"

"Annabeth!"

"Annabeth!"

"Shut up!" She shouted. "Both of you, shut up!" Luke was pulling at her arm now, trying to pry it off. "I want him to spill the stupid beans!"

"Not going to happen," Luke said. "You'll have to kill me."

"Fine," She said, releasing him from her grip. His hand flew to his throat and he gasped, again and again. "Stand up, asshole."

"Annabeth, stop this now." Clarisse said. "I'm all for beating up Castellan, but nobody is getting killed on my floor."

"Oh, now you care?" She said, pulling her dagger from her hip. "I'm just trying to get some answers. If he won't tell us willingly, there's got to be some other way to do it. Now, get up Luke, we're fighting."

"No," He stood, a hand rubbing against his throat. "I'm not going to fight you, Annabeth. Gods, I'm just trying to keep everyone safe!" A groan shot through the circle. What an idiot.

Annabeth's eyes bulged, " _Safe?_ " She dropped her dagger and launched herself at him, making both of them tumble to the ground and—thankfully—causing the shield to fall. "You're the reason everyone had been thrown into danger in the first place!" I rushed forward, reaching her just as Percy did, and we grabbed her together, lifting her off by the arms. "I can't believe you!"

"Luke," I grunted, trying desperately to keep my grip on her arm. "Why can't you just tell us?"

"It's not that I can't, it's that I won't," He scrambled up to his feet. Purple had begun to spread across his cheek. " _Nobody_ is going to get hurt because of me, never again." Annabeth shook us off, but made no move forward.

"You're really on something else, Luke." She scoffed. "We've already been hurt, what's the difference?"

He was taken aback by that and shut his mouth abruptly. I could hear Annabeth's labored breathing as she waited for his reply, her head was held high. No one spoke up; no one objected. "You're right, but that still doesn't change my mind." He scanned the room quickly, then without another word, walked off with all our eyes trailing behind him.

 **·**

Everyone had been tense the rest of the day, and with good reason, Luke _needed_ to tell us. The fight had stirred a sense of urgency within us, two weeks was too long. No one had had any contact with the outside world. For all we knew, Camp Half-Blood could've been in ruins because of us and that wasn't a pleasant thought. I tried approaching him several times throughout the day, but he fled each time, making my irritation—and desperation—only grow. We needed a back-up plan, if by chance anyone found this island, we needed something to use for leverage, something to run to, something to hide behind. If his information held any of those possibilities, it was necessary to possess and yet, he still kept away, still ran at the sight of me. I wanted to trust him, but he wasn't giving me any reason too. He wasn't giving anyone a reason too, and their patience was running thin, too thin.

I stood outside my bedroom, head thunking against the wooden door. Sleep sat heavy on my eyelids, it was night, it was time to crawl into bed, it was time to—I scrunched my eyes tight. Nightmares crawled their way back to the front of my head, the horrid, pungent smell of that place filling my sense. I sucked in a sharp breath. _Get rid of it, Thalia, one problem at a time. One problem at a time._

Shuffling broke my concentration, it was coming from behind me, farther down the hall. It was Luke. He had his hands in his pockets, looking back and forth every now and then as he walked steady towards his room; he hadn't noticed me.

"Luke," I called and he froze in his tracks. When the turned, his face held cowardice. "Hey."

"Hey," He said and walked forwards as I gestured for him to come closer. "What's up?"

"Um," I hadn't thought this through enough. There was nothing to discuss. Well, there was in fact a ton to discuss. Years worth of stuff to discuss. An interrogation even, would be appropriate, I just needed a way to start one. "You want to sleep in my room tonight?"

His eyes widened, "Excuse me?"

"You heard what I said. Do you?"

"Uhh, why?"

There wasn't a single lie left in me, "Because I'm tired and sick of bad dreams, and everyone's scared and maybe I miss the nights where I'd stay up for hours in stupid emergency hideouts, talking to my best friend when really we should've been sleeping to save energy for fighting monsters."

He snorted, "Yeah, that was a stupid move, wasn't it?"

"Real stupid," I gripped the handle of the door. "But you know I kind of miss them, in a weird way. So, do you want to or not? I'm sure you're tired after Annabeth kicked your ass."

"Yeah," He smiled. "Sure, let me change."

"Nah, you can just wear my Death to Barbie t-shirt."

 **·**

LUKE:

It was the breeze that woke me.

Coming in through the window, I assumed, it dipped along the sheets and tickled my nose, bringing with it the smell of sand and sea. My eyes shot open, nerves tightening reflexively at the scent; those weren't right. At least, they hadn't been something you'd smell while sulking in the Underworld, but after a moment's passing, I recalled that was no longer my reality. This was. Soft sheets, sunlight, fresh air, breathing, alive; a chance at redemption. I let out a breath, muscles unwinding, and let myself relax back into the mattress.

"Have a little morning panic there?" A voice said and I jerked my head up, looking around frantically. Thalia was there, sitting against the footboard, one knee propped up, her chin resting against it.

"Oh shit," I muttered and let my head fall back. "That's right, I'm in your room."

"Nice observation skills, chief."

I propped myself up on an elbow, "Um, I think you're the one who's the chief here."

"Not a lie," She said. "So, gonna answer my question?"

"Oh yeah," I said. "This atmosphere is a tad bit different than the Underworld, gotta get used to it."

"That's all you want to discuss?"

I raised a brow, "Yes?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh alright, I thought you might want to discuss that hyperventilating you had going on while you were sleeping, but whatever." My shoulders clenched up and I fisted the sheets; there's no possible way I could have woken her up last night. The dream came crawling back to the very edges of my mind, blurred images and hellish shouting. I wanted to be defensive, it would be so easy to brush it off, to let fake anger rise up in my chest, but this was Thalia. She wanted to know, wanted to help. _She wants to make sure you're not gonna fuck up again._

"It was…you already know, Thals. I don't need to say it. Please don't tell me you're sitting there because I kept you up all night." She shook her head and moved to the head of the bed to crawl back under the covers.

"I get up early out of habit nowadays, it wasn't you."

"And to think when we were on the run I could be being attacked and you wouldn't even flinch." She kicked me from underneath the covers. "Hey!"

"Ass," She muttered, then fell quiet. Her voice was a barely there whisper, "Was he always in your dreams, during the time before Percy got to camp? Was he always there?"

"Not always," I dropped my head down so we'd be eye to eye. "He started showing up after I failed that stupid quest, guess he knew when to play with my ego."

"Yeah, your ego," Her eyes drifted off to the side and slowly, the rims began to glisten.

"Thalia…"

"Did you ever get used to it?"

"Have you gotten used to it?"

She snorted, "That's a hard question to answer. I just want to sleep peacefully again."

"That's all you want?" She stuffed her head into her pillow, ignoring my question. I waited patiently, and waited and waited and waited—until she pulled away and I could see her face, puffy eyes and flushed red throughout. " _Thalia._ "

"Gods, I'm such a fake," Her voice shook. "Telling Percy to get over it every five seconds only to breakdown at a simple question." I sat up, pulling her with me, and watched as she rubbed at her eyelids.

"Thalia, what did he _do_ to you?" I asked. "What did he do to _all_ of you? I can see it in Percy's eyes, something doesn't fit. The five of you are different than the others, than me or Annabeth. Please, let me help." She took my hands from her shoulders and held them between us.

"I don't want to talk about it right now."

"Then what do you want to talk about?" She paused for a moment, then a sullen expression grew on her face and she dropped my hands.

"I want to talk about that secret place you mentioned, the one you're conveniently withholding the location of."

I scoffed, "Oh wow, way to change the subject."

"I'm not changing the subject, I'm multitasking."

"I told you it's too dangerous."

"Nothing is too dangerous for us."

"Listen to me—"

"Luke!" Her voice was harsh. "If what you know could help us, then tell us. Even if it leads to a dead end, tell us. Don't lie, not this time."

"I'm not going to lie, but…" Panic rose in my throat, there weren't any excuses to give. "I don't even know if the answers will be there! But the titans and their cronies, they always talked about it." Her eyes were searching mine for clues, flitting around my face again and again.

"We can handle this, trust me. You've only just started training your power—"

"This is my father's power, Thalia. Not mine."

"Don't think like that, it doesn't help."

"But it is—"

 _"Stop,"_ Thalia cut me off and took a deep breath. "Never mind, we can talk about it later. Tell me about the place."

"No. Please."

Her eyes burned through me, "Luke, if you don't tell _me_ , everyone else will make you tell them and I can guarantee it won't be fun."

I let out a laugh, "Oh come on, what are they gonna do?" She didn't break her gaze, but simply rose a brow. "Alright, yeah Lee's been cooking up revenge plans since he entered Elysium. He told me himself."

"You don't even want to know the things Percy has thought up. Plus, I'm sure Annabeth isn't done with you."

"So…"

"I suggest you tell me," She huffed and let herself drop back against the bed. Her fingers absentmindedly began to trace her mark and she examined it closely. "We used to be able to tell each other everything, you know, thick as thieves and all that crap."

"We still are. I-I mean we still were, can, used to—we can be again. Forever this time, I promise." She locked her steely gaze on me and I froze, unable to break away from the metallic blue of her eyes.

"Than prove it. Tell me what it is."

"Egypt," I said and felt the world rip out from under me. It was undeniable, unavoidable, there wasn't going to be an easy way out of this. She shot up, disbelief laced through her features.

"Egypt?" She scoffed. _"What the hell is in Egypt?"_

"The Library of Alexandria."

 **.**

ANNABETH:

I was standing in the throne room on Mount Olympus.

All the Olympians were gathered there, but barely any of them were awake. They were all sleeping in their thrones, papers and books and armor splayed out around them as if they'd had to long of a study session and crashed without warning. I knew I was dreaming, but it didn't make me any less nervous. Two voices drifted towards me and I glanced towards the back of the room, where two of them appeared to be talking; it was Zeus and Hades. My jaw dropped at the sight of Hades, sitting in his own throne.

"No way," I slapped a hand over my mouth right after I said it, but it was too late. Both gods sat straight up, eyes flitting around the room.

"One of them is here," Hades said.

"What?" Hera asked, waking from her slumber.

"Shit," I muttered and took hurried steps back. With grace, I tripped over my foot and fell backwards, straight through the floor. The world shifted in a blur of smoke, bringing me to a hill, where a woman stood gazing out at the sea. Except she wasn't entirely a woman, she had the physique but was composed for smoke—green smoke. She whirled on me the second I took a step forwards and lunged towards me, knocking both of us to the ground. Her smoky hands fisted in my shirt hauling me closer to her; her eyes were wild, scared.

"Help her," She shrieked

"What?" I cried. She shook me furiously and I gripped her wrists. "Stop!"

"Help her! They're going to take her away, they need her!"

"Please, stop! I don't understand." Thunder cracked above us and the woman froze, craning her head to the sky.

"One of them found us," She turned back to me, forced me to look her in the eye. "Things are more complicated than they seem, don't let them win."

"Let who win?" She ignored my question, shoving me down into the hill and suddenly, I was falling.

I jolted awake, hands fisting into the sheets. A sweat had broke out across my brow and I let my eyes fall shut, taking several deep breathes to calm myself; I was still in my bed, on the island. It was strange to be greeted with silence, no snoring, no morning call, no constant whir of the ceiling fan that never did quite stop because Malcolm loved background noise. No, nothing but silence. My hand wandered across the bed. It found sheets, sheets, and more sheets, and it was all cold.

My eyes shot open.

Percy wasn't there, where he had been last night, sprawled out across the bed with drool dripping to his pillow. Before I could panic, my eyes caught on a note left in his place. Written in quick scrawl, it read:

 _Out for a morning swim. See you_

 _at breakfast. Get some rest!_

 _Love ya, P._

I sighed, rolled my eyes, and let my head drop back against the pillow. Of course he would. There wasn't exactly a reason why he shouldn't, this place was safe. It had been two weeks and there hadn't been a single disturbance.

Well, except for just now. The dream was a disturbance. The first dream I'd had since we arrived and it made my stomach churn. None of it made sense. Half-blood dreams usually gave you hidden answers or double meanings, but both of those moments were just, chaotic. Maybe if I had heard what the gods' had been discussing, maybe then I could have figured something out.

With worry starting to eat at me, I sat up, pulling the sheets away. Gray light filtered in through the windows, it must've been early morning; the sun had yet to rise. A bathrobe was lying at the foot of my bureau and I walked over, swiping it up in one motion and wrapping it around me as I headed out the door. Padding down the main staircase, I found myself still in awe of how immaculate this area of the building was. Although she'd never admit it, I had an inkling Thalia had taken more than just her mother's countertops; this part must've been taken from her memory right down to the jewels on the chandelier. It was beautiful, but it was one of the only parts that was. Despite how much I admired their dedication, this place really was a mess. My feet wandered a path growing in familiarity, moving past the infirmary and down towards the armory. Beckendorf and I had been working on blueprints and renovations for days now, but we needed more time.

If time was even a luxury we could afford island seemed so safe, so secluded, it made me forget the danger we were in. _Maybe that's why they didn't want to come back to camp sooner_. I shook the thought from my head as soon as it came, yet my chest still tightened considerably. Percy had explained why they couldn't leave sooner, but it still stung. This was all so different than anything either of us had ever faced, if he only told me sooner….

We'd probably still be in the same spot we are now. There was no denying, I _didn't_ have an answer and that wasn't okay. Worry itched at me daily, practically hourly. So much could have happened since we left, Chiron could've been arrested, camp could've been destroyed, my siblings, _my father_ , all interrogated, even when they were innocent. A deep breath filled my lungs and then another and then another, I couldn't get worked up; it had been happening to much. My powers were different than the others, invisible and unforgiving. They ran rampant to easily, it was frustrating. _If only mother was here to help._ I gritted my teeth together; I did need her. One moment it would be fine, the next a horrible mistake. I'd learned them fast enough, but controlling them took time. You know, the time that I didn't have.

Of course, none of this would have been a problem if we could talk to our parents, but they wouldn't listen to us because we were cursed and the only way to break that curse was to find an answer and the only one who had even a shred of an idea where to find an answer was conveniently withholding the information, _thatgodsdamnmoron—_

Waves broke my concentration.

I found myself in a hall, it was damp, cold, and seemed to be carved right from the stone. Most importantly, I hadn't been here before. Glancing back, I noticed a set of stairs that led back up towards the armory. It wasn't possible I had missed this, there was no way; I'd drawn blueprints of the entire building. The sound of waves hit me again and I turned back around to notice a doorway carved right out of the wall. Light filtered from it, leeching into the hall. _It would be wise to go back,_ I thought.

"Oh, whatever," I said aloud, pulling my rob tighter around myself. I walked quickly down the hall and through the door, not giving my mind any room to argue, then stopped abruptly as soon as my eyes adjusted to the brightness. "Whoa."

It was a cavern, large and wide, its ceiling reaching many meters above me. The stone was dark, and broken boulders lined the walls, but what stood out was the water that wadded in from the open mouth of the cave. I stepped forwards, foot sloshing into excess water that had formed puddles on the floor. Waves aren't what I'd heard, instead it was water sloshing up against the rim of stone that lined half the area; almost as if someone had been attempting to create a pool.

 _Percy,_ I thought.

"Yes?"

I screamed and jerked back, whipping around to find Percy, standing a few feet away, a towel around his shoulders. "Percy, what the hell!"

"What?" He asked.

"How did you," I blinked. "Wait, did you just—you answered me."

"What are you—oh my gods, I did."

"You did!" I shouted. "Oh my gods, I did it! I finally got it!" Of all the powers that I had gained, telepathy was the one that had evaded me. None of us knew why, but it didn't matter now, because _it just happened._ "That is such a weight off my shoulders, you're not gonna believing how frustrating that was, Percy—Percy?" He was giving me a mischievous look, a small smile with a brow raised slightly.

"We should celebrate," He said. "Since, you finally got the communication down."

"Telepathy," I crossed my arms. "It's telepathy."

"Whatever it is, we should celebrate."

"Alright, but why are you looking at me like that?"

He took the towel off his shoulders and threw it to the side; it fell into a puddle. "Well, you do remember how we celebrate, don't you?" The words clicked at the exact moment he lunged.

"Oh my gods, Percy, no!" Before I could dart to the side, he gathered me up in his arms and charged straight for the water. "Ahh!" Reflexively, I shut my eyes as he jumped, gripping him tighter, and a moment later we hit the water with a splash. I anticipated the wetness, even for just a moment, but nothing came, not even the surface.

"You can breathe, you know."

I cracked my eyes open and found myself in a bubble, Percy still holding me close. We'd floated down, a couple feet below the surface. I sighed, pressed my forehead into his shoulder. "You're unbelievable."

"I know." He wrapped one arm tighter around my waist and dropped my legs, letting them fall out of the bubble and into the water. I anticipated the chill, but again, nothing.

"It's not—"

"Cold?"

"What are you doing, Seaweed Brain?"

"Whoo-ing you with the new skills that I finally get to show off." Our feet hovered just above the sea floor; we'd drifted even deeper.

"And that means?"

"Can I bring you somewhere?"

I rolled my eyes, "As long as you don't let go of me."

"I'll never let go, Jack," Percy said under his breath, but I caught it anyway, and laughed as we took off. The currents pushed us out towards open water, straight through the mouth of the cavern. We descended further, following the slow slope of the sand. I had the urge to question why, but decided to see where he took us. With Percy, I knew it wasn't going to be bad. "Hey, by the way, how'd you find me?"

"What do you mean?"

"The cavern. How'd you find it?"

I shrugged, "I was wandering the house and just stumbled on it. I wasn't really looking for it or you, if I'm being honest." He stopped abruptly and we hovered in the water; I noticed it had grown dark enough that I could only see a few feet in front of us.

"Wait, you—"

"Sorry Percy, you're a very nice thing to think about but I'm not thinking about you every second of the day. I love you, but I really hope you're not thinking of me every second of the—"

" _No_ , I mean, you just found it? It was sitting there waiting for you?"

My eyebrows scrunched up, "Is there a reason it wouldn't be?" We started moving again, sinking further. The light became softer and softer, until his face was nothing but a shadow. Finally, he spoke up.

"I hide the entrance to cavern. No one has ever been able to find it before. If it appeared to you…I suppose, unconsciously, my powers must have trusted you." Heat hit my cheeks and I wondered idly, if he was blushing too.

"Oh, that's interesting." I curled a hand around the back of his neck; I didn't feel like breaching the topic any further, not now. Of course, the technicalities were another story. "Why don't you let people in there? It's lovely."

"Thank you," It sounded like he was smiling. "But it's more for safety. At a certain depth, the shield around the island breaks off."

"It breaks what?" I tensed up. "Percy, that makes no sense. No one would be able to swim this deep besides you anyway. Plus, have you been swimming outside the barrier? Are _we_ outside the barrier? We have to go."

"Yes, we are but don't worry. No one has found me yet, I keep it extremely low profile. There's no way they could sense us down here. I bet they're not even looking down here. Besides, we've arrived. Be careful, we're on a ledge." He placed us down on rock and gathered my hand in his, intertwining our fingers. "Plus, I practice in the cavern sometimes. The powers can get to strong, I don't want anyone getting hurt."

"Percy, you'd never hurt anyone."

"We can talk about it later," His lips pressed against my shoulder. "For now, look at this." He turned me to face what I assumed was the place, but nothing stuck out to me. Only darkness, pitch-black darkness.

"Babe, I don't have underwater vision like you."

He wrapped his arms around me, "You won't need it. Just look ahead." Percy's hand extended out in front of me, illuminated by glowing currents that wrapped around his palm. With speed, they moved forwards, moving through the water and disappearing into the cliff face that extended out before us. Slowly, the light reappeared, but this time it held a shape. A little cluster of rocks, with facets that gleamed. Then the light spread, to another cluster and another and another, and it clicked. They were crystals and there were dozens.

Spreading far and wide along the wall, the crystals lit up, sparkling against one another, their colors all a deep, rich green. I threw a hand over my chest, "This is gorgeous."

"I had a feeling you'd like it."

"What kind of crystals are these?"

"I'm not to sure," He pulled me closer. "I found them awhile ago, one day when I was practicing. I bet they're some underwater rock. Probably would've learned about them, if I'd spent time with my father." I ran my fingers over them, letting the spiky texture scrap across my fingertips.

"Well, you found them on your own and they're beautiful."

"They are, but not as beautiful as you."

I snorted, "Too cheesy."

"It's gonna get cheesier." He grabbed a cluster in his hand and gently broke it from the wall. In his hand, currents wrapped around the crystals, wearing them down, polishing the stone, and forming it into a tear drop with a small hole at the top. He held it out to me and I shook my head in question. "Here, it's for you?"

"Me?" Hesitantly, I took it with steady fingers, examining it in the light of the other crystals. It was smooth, but cracked inside, like the lines of lava breaking through rock and it thrummed between my fingertips, as if it was vibrating energy. "How did you do this?"

"A bit of dedication. A lot of hard work. The first few attempts were disastrous," He wrapped his arms around me once more and I titled my head to meet his eyes. "I wanted to give you something," His eyes were weary, his face weathered. "Gods, Annabeth, I want to give you everything."

"Percy…"

"We're gonna get through this, I promise you. Then once it's all over, we can go back to camp and apologize—"

"You have no reason to apologize, Percy." I took his face in my hands. "They don't need your apology, it's not your fault." He covered one of my hands with his own and met my eyes; the crystals couldn't never compete with the green of his iris.

"I love you," He murmured. "And I will never leave you again." Before my breath could hitch, I pulled him down into a kiss, reveling in the warmth that spread through my chest. It was strong and heady, leaving me dizzy. We broke apart, quiet breaths filling the space between us.

"I love you too, so much." I sighed and glanced at the crystal again. "I'll keep it on my necklace."

"You don't have—" I kissed him once more.

"I want to." I took a step back and tried to clear my head, inhaling sharply when something came flitting back to the front of my mind. "You know, speaking of love, what about Silena and Clarisse? And Pollux? And Beckendorf?"

He laughed, light returning to his face, "Are you kidding? This has got to be the third time you've asked me."

"I'm curious. They seem very happy."

"They are very happy."

"Yes, but how did it happen?" I pulled him close again. "Did Silena kiss Clarisse first? Were they dating during the war? Are Pollux and Beckendorf involved together? I've missed way too much, give me the details."

"You can ask Silena for the details when we get back up to the surface. Trust me, I'm sure she will be more than happy to tell you." He gathered me in his arms and I groaned.

"Clarisse is going to get annoyed."

"Silena will keep her in check," He laughed and pushed off the ledge, only to drop back down a second later. "Holy fuck." His demeanor had changed in an instant, arms creating a cage around me; I pushed them off nonetheless.

"Percy?"

"There's someone here." His eyes scanned the area frantically and he shoved me behind him. The light from the crystals were fading. "We have to go. Now. I'm so careless, I can't believe they got this close."

"It's alright and don't say that, we'll be fine. Let's—" A force barreled into us, pushing us apart. It sent me tumbling back into the crystals, various clusters digging into my back, and I dropped to the floor, jaw clenched tight. I scrambled up, head whipping back and forth, but Percy was nowhere to be found. Panic rose in my throat as I scanned the area, but in the dim light that was left, I found him.

He was caught in a golden net, being pulled by a larger man, who was half-man and half-fish. There was a trident strapped across his back and he had two fins, which were pushing them further away by the second. My stomach dropped, it was Triton.

"No!" I screamed and attempted to swim towards them.

"Annabeth, no! Go! Run away!" Percy yelled, struggling against the golden rope. It must've been charmed, he was helpless.

"Let him go, you bastard! Now!"

Triton glanced back and I froze, ready for him to come around and grab me as well, but he didn't. All he did was smile—an evil, nerve-wracking smile—and swim off. I screamed again and tried to follow them, but my body could barely move inside the bubble and I was forced to stay their stagnant, listening to Percy's yelling grow fainter. What was he saying? Surface, the surface, run, the surface…

A high pitched, whine sounded off around me and I spun around, looking for its source. Was it an animal? A siren? A water spirit? It mimicked that of air escaping from a balloon.

Air.

 _Run, the surface._

The bubble was shrinking around me.

* * *

hello again! thank you so much for reading!

also, i apologize for that cliffhanger. who knows what will happen? (well, you will, soon...i hope...)

reviews are always _highly_ appreciated—and they do help me write faster, i swear. seriously, i wouldn't joke about things that make me write faster, they're miracles.

see you next time xxx


	6. What a Lovely Family Reunion

it's a. . .it's been awhile

i'm not sure who's still here because wow, it really has been five months, but for whoever has stuck around, thank you so much. i treasure every single person who reads my fic xxx

i hope you enjoy!

* * *

ANNABETH:

It felt as if someone had shot off the gun at the beginning of a race.

There wasn't a clear way out of this. The bubble had reached to just above my knee and now it was steadily moving up my thigh. My level of depth wasn't certain and everything was so horribly dark, the type of dark you see when you've just shut off the lights, suffocating and never-ending. The ocean was much quieter without Percy, much more empty, much more threatening. _Don't hyperventilate, save the oxygen,_ I thought. _There's got to be a way out of this._ The water was cold now, it stung my legs, right to the very bone, and I pulled them closer out of reflex; then froze mid-movement.

The bubble quivered in the water, but didn't pop. I moved them a bit more, and the bubble still kept its form, as if it were rubber. I shoved the crystal drop into my pocket. Maybe there was a clear way out of this. Acting on impulse, I pushed my arms out of the bubble; it didn't pop, but it was too wide. My forearms only came out halfway, they'd be of no use. "Son of a bitch." The bubble had risen to my hips and with no other idea in mind—or in sight, for that matter—I pulled my arms back inside and pushed upwards with my legs, as fast as I possibly could.

It was difficult, but not impossible. I moved through the water at a steady pace, one that would've been much quicker with my arms, but I was still moving. It hadn't taken us that long to get down here, it probably wouldn't take me that long to resurface. Of course, that wasn't accounting for how fast Percy might've moved, and I hadn't exactly been paying attention.

"Fuck." I rubbed my arms for warmth. The water echoed around me, like a constant, unwavering presence, a heavy, never-ending void. The bubble had shrunk further, nearing my belly button and enclosing on both sides. I The ocean stayed dark, with no indication my depth had changed. Then, something touched my foot. It was cold, slimy.

A shriek flew out of me and I sped up, starting to hyperventilate against my better judgment. It could have been nothing, it was probably nothing. _Allies, a guard dog,_ I thought, _he might have brought help._ My heart was thumping against my chest, the sound jumping up my throat and into my ears. The bubble was just below my ribs now and had grown small enough for me to stick my arms out of both sides. I pushed onwards, noticing the water had grown lighter, the black fading all the way to blue. There had to be but a minute left of air. Again the thing rubbed itself against me, this time sliding against my calf. I shouted louder than before.

The bubble was at my shoulders; I kept swimming.

The bubble was at my neck; the water had grown to a bright blue-green.

The bubble was above my chin and I took one last deep breath before it disappeared with an audible _pop._ Water splashed my face, stung my eyes. Sunlight came into view above me and I kept on, frantically. The surface came into focus through blurry vision and I broke the surface with burning lungs, gasping and coughing and spitting. I found myself outside the cavern and swam inside, tried to calm the heavy beating in my chest. When my hands reached the stone rim, I almost let my guard down. Almost.

Water surged up over me and my limbs locked as that thing came from behind and yanked me back down again. It had a fin—or possibly a tentacle, it was impossible to tell—wrapped around my leg and it pulled me away from the surface. I kicked it, but it did no good. I tried using the curse, but it was unsuccessful.

I'd learned how to fight against water when I was out of it, not in it. Nothing worked.

The monster removed its limb, I swam to the surface. Coughed, hacked, breathed. It pulled me back down again. The thing was toying with me, like I was lunch. _Damn you_ , I thought.

Thought.

I'd done the telepathy before. I just had to do it again. The monster released me again and I moved for the surface, rising long enough only to grab a breath of air, but that's all I need. With the oxygen, I let the monster drag me down and attempted to clear my mind. What had I done before? Stumble upon this cavern, think of Percy, was it really all that simple?

I focused on the others, pictured them. My lungs began to burn. Thalia was sitting in the kitchen teasing Jason, Beckendorf in the forge, Clarisse passed out in her bed, one leg hanging off the side. Was this really them, was it real, was I imagining? It didn't matter.

 _Help me,_ I thought, though it sounded like a scream. _I'm in a cavern, a monster's dragging me underwater; Percy's gone, kidnapped, I'm at the bottom of the island._ For a moment, the images remained the same, then they shifted. Bodies jumped up, ran from the rooms, grabbed weapons. If I hadn't been underwater, I would have shrieked. Then, the monster stopped and hissed. My eyes shot open, vision focusing on the creature. Long, scales sharp as daggers, teeth black like onyx, eyes green, staring straight through me.

They weren't going to get here in time, nobody would be this far down on the island, it's going to—

Something dropped down into the water. No, three things dropped down into the water. The vibrations echoed through the area and I turned towards the surface to find three figures floating down. As they grew closer, the rest of my air disappeared in a scream. They were skeletons, descending fast, weighed down by their bones. Their bodies hurtled toward us and they crashed into the monster in unison, clawing at its scales. The creature released me, to consumed with its own life, and I pushed upwards, watching them all sink into the depths. I coughed up water as I surfaced, eyes stinging.

"Annabeth!" Nico was there, at the lip of the pool, arm outstretched. I made my way towards him, body shaking from adrenaline, and the moment our hands locked, he hauled me from the water, pulled me away from the edge.

"How did you—"

"Catacombs," He muttered. "I was down here, heard you. Annabeth, _what happened?"_

"We went for a swim," I coughed, the water had left a horrible burn in my throat. "Percy wanted to show me something," I patted my pockets for the crystal, it was still there. "We went outside the border, he was taken." Footsteps came pounding down the stairs, the others poured out into the cavern; Thalia sprinted towards us. So much for keeping the place a secret.

"By who?" Nico had a hand propped against my back, a steady pressure that made me realize I was shaking. Thalia dropped down next to us, but I couldn't break his gaze. His eyes were wide; his face, absolutely petrified.

"Triton."

We hurried upstairs. I was soaked, seated on a couch, a blanket wrapped around me. Nico was next to me, Silena on the other side; she kept pressing my hair with a towel, trying to get it dry. Everyone had gathered in the room, forming a loose circle around us, but we were all focused on the same thing: Thalia. She was pacing, fast and agitated, in front of the couch. Her footsteps cracked, leaving burnt marks in the floor. They'd fix themselves after she moved, only to appear again as she pivoted, and stomped the same path.

"This is bad." She stated.

"Obviously." Nico said.

"We have to go get him."

"Clearly."

"Well, who's going to go?" Thalia spun on him, with hands fisted at her sides.

"I will," I said.

"If you really think—"

I jumped up, "Thalia, if you really think you're going to stop me just because—" I coughed and dropped back down on the couch, hand flying to my neck. It was still burning, like hundreds of paper cuts had opened in my throat. I could barely swallow. Lee noticed.

"On it," He said, crossing over to the kitchen. Thalia had her arms crossed, eyes pinned on me.

"I'm still going," I said. Silena attempted to return to her ministrations, but I caught her hand mid-movement and she froze.

 _Sorry,_ she mouthed and smiled.

Thalia pinched the bridge of her nose, let out a sigh that turned into a groan. "I know, _I know_ I'm not going to stop you. Doesn't mean I have to be happy about it. Also doesn't mean I have to let you go alone."

"No, Thalia." Zoë stepped forward from her place in the circle. "We can't risk another one of you six getting caught, not until we have more control of the situation."

"We are all very capable—"

"I know you are. And yet, I'd feel much more secure if you let me go instead." Lee ran in, right up to the couch, with glass in hand.

"Here," He said and I took it from him. It was nectar. I downed it and sighed. Cold, refreshing, the taste of strawberries lingered on my tongue.

"Zoë and I can do this," I said, voice now much clearer. Lee took the glass from me and backed away. "It won't be hard."

"It will be hard," Nico intruded. I sent him a glare, he threw his hands up. "Not trying to be negative, but I'm sure there will be guards."

"I'll go," Clarisse said.

Silena stood, "If you go, I go."

"We are _not_ sending everyone." Thalia commanded. "I will permit Zoë and Annabeth to leave, but that's if we can figure out how to get there."

"It's underwater." Jason started.

"I can find Poseidon's palace on my GPS," Beckendorf said.

"None of our transportation will work underwater." Jason said.

"Walking will take to long," I said.

"Then I'm going." Luke spoke up. Some of the circle turned to look at him, others turned to Thalia.

"Nice joke," I snorted and paused, waiting for Thalia to shoot him down. When she didn't, I tensed. "Thalia?"

"He has. . .a pretty good point."

Zoë grimaced, "He does."

"No way," I stood up. "Not happening, why do you even want to go?"

"To save Percy. To help." Luke said.

"Again, really funny."

"Annabeth, I'm not lying."

"Oh, please!" Piper shouted. I grinned as she took a place by my side. "Are we really going to trust the Hermes' kid?"

"Remember what I said about cabin stereotypes, Piper," Silena piped up.

"Fine," Piper rolled her eyes. "Are we going to trust _this_ Hermes' kid?" I bumped her hip, and she bumped me right back, giving me a wink. Piper had grown on me quickly. She was tough, eager to learn more about half-bloods and her mother and camp. It upset me that she was introduced to this world through the curse. "I'll go with them."

"You are not going with them. You've haven't had enough training." Thalia said.

"Sure I have."

"Two weeks isn't nearly enough, Piper," Jason came over to us, placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sending new troops is threatening to both you and your team."

"Fine," She huffed. "But your entire Camp Jupiter lifestyle doesn't sound like much fun. Besides, I'm sure Eros would be fine with me copycat-ing his powers for a quick second."

"He wouldn't." Nico muttered.

"I still don't think he should go though," She nodded towards Luke and I crossed my arms.

"Agreed." I said.

Thalia trained her eyes on me. _Listen, no matter how much bad he's done, he's the only one that will get you to Percy._ "I'm sure Percy's well-being is what matters most here."

A sudden pang of guilt ran through me. Percy had taken backstage in my head for a moment; now that was gone and I saw him, the golden net, his screaming. I grit my teeth, "Fine. He can come. Luke, Zoë, and I."

Katie raised her hand, "Hi, guys! Not to be a total, complete, _horrible_ downer but I think the whole breathing underwater aspect has slipped everyone's mind."

"Gotch'ya covered!" Leo shouted and patted his pockets, before flashing the room a grin. "Whoops, be right back." He ran off, leaving the room in silence; I smiled. Leo was just eager as Piper, if not more, and it showed when he worked in the forge, his brown iris' glittering against the flames. He could build anything, tinker with everything, he'd be a perfect fit for his cabin, if this mess was ever resolved.

"Not to disturb the waters anymore but," Luke started again. "I can only carry one person."

"Then I will go," Zoë said. "Annabeth, you can—"

"Zoë, say what I think you're going to say and I'm going to break an arm." I said.

Her eyes were hard, "Very well. I'll stay." Realization hit me.

"So, I have to go save Percy, with just him?" I pointed to Luke.

"Looks like it," Clarisse grunted.

"Want me to make you a drink?" Pollux offered.

"Annabeth, this is the best chance you have of getting to Percy," Thalia reasoned. "And fast. We have to get to him before the Olympians do." I glanced to Luke, who was standing across the room, arms crossed as usual. He still had a sliver of purple left from when I'd punched him yesterday. Besides that, nothing about him was different. Same hair, same scar, same stance, like someone had plucked him from memory and inserted him here, in this moment. As if nothing between then and now had ever happened.

I kept my face straight, "Fine. Let's go."

"Not without these," Leo scurried back into the room, holding a couple of black, triangular pods. He handed one to me; it was smooth all around, with a singular button in the middle. "They're snorkels."

"Snorkels?" I asked.

"High-tech snorkels."

"Fantastic."

Beckendorf walked up and plucked one up from Leo's grasp, "When did you start working on these? Holding out on me?"

Leo snorted, "Clearly. I need something to compete with those crazy tools you're working on down there, don't I?"

"Crazy what?" I asked. Two pairs of eyes went wide, like saucers.

"Nothing," They said simultaneously. Before I could ask, Luke walked up to us and held out his hand for a snorkel; Leo complied.

"It covers our face?" He asked.

"Yeah, but only the bottom half." Leo said and pointed to the button. "Press that button to unlock and activate it. It wraps around your ears and the back of your neck. No need to bite on anything, so you'll still be able to talk."

"Nice, Valdez." Piper said.

"I know, I know." Leo held his hands up. "No need to thank me."

"Alright, let's go," Thalia said, voice ringing. "Annabeth and Luke, change of clothes. Someone get them backpacks, food. Anything they could possibly need. I want everyone out on the beach in five minutes."

We scattered. Footsteps sounded off, fading in all different directions. I hurried straight to my room and peeled off the damp clothing in favor of something dry, and appropriate; a wetsuit. Yelling filtered in through my open door and after I was done, I sought it out. Clarisse was at the bottom of the main staircase, she handed me a backpack and kevlar.

"Kevlar?" I asked.

"It's lighter." She said.

Without question, it was thrown on. Luke joined us a moment later and she handed him the same pack. He shot a quick glance towards me, but I turned away; just because we working together, didn't mean I had to be nice. Someone bent down and wrapped a strap around my thigh, snapping my dagger into place. Beckendorf ran up, a sword in his hands. He whispered quickly to Luke, who took the sword gently, shoulders tense. After a moment, the tension disappeared and he wrapped it around his waist, tightening the strap. Then, hands were ushering us forward and everyone was running to the shore.

I pressed the button on the snorkel and it swung open, shifting into a sturdier form. Before I could wrap it around my jaw, a hand grabbed my wrist.

"Wait a moment," Thalia said and pulled me across the sand, out of my head, closer to Luke. Everyone was gathered again in a loose semi-circle. Nico came up to me and placed a gem in my hand.

"Percy's cut off from us," He gestured towards Thalia. "When you find him, break the stone. It should shatter in your fist. We'll come find you."

I shook my head, "Nico, we can't risk any of you getting near your parents."

"That's exactly the point though," He said. "If our parents are there, we want to know, we want to come help. No one is fighting our parents for us." I sighed, but noticed the clench of his jaw and pocketed the gem. He mouthed his thanks and stepped back. Thalia took his place and extended two flashlights, which Luke and I took. Then, she grabbed us by the arms and yanked us even closer together.

"Are you gonna take a photo for the album?" Luke asked and Thalia flicked him, before stepping back.

"Shut up and don't move." She held her hands out before us, open-palmed, facing forwards. Nothing seemed to happen, then slowly, a pressure grew around us. As it became denser, like a weight pressing down on me, I realized it was air, swirling around us, wrapping tight around our limbs. It was invisible, heavy, but not unbearable. Thalia snapped her fingers, drew our eyes to hers. "It will keep the water pressure off you, but it does not last. Make this rescue mission fast."

"There's a compass in your bags," Beckendorf said. "It only points in one direction though. Follow it straight to the palace, alright?" Luke and I nodded. Thalia was staring at the both of us, hands wrapped around her abdomen as if she had to hold herself back. From letting us go or from yelling at us, I wasn't sure. The waves crashed gently against the shore, their repetitive ministrations like the chant that was going on in my head. _Percy, Percy, Percy._ It wouldn't stop, not while I knew he was in danger.

"We'll be back soon," I said, a swell of confidence washing over me. A plan was writing itself into existence, front and center in my mind, unbeknownst to the others. Luke turned to me and I met his gaze, his look mirrored mine. Determined, unwavering, ready for battle; at least he could do something right. "Let's go."

 **.**

A lot of weird things have happened to me. I fought monsters off with a hammer at the age of seven, I escaped the labyrinth on a set of golden wings, and I was almost stretched apart on a waterbed, but even then, I could go on. It was a long list, it would be easy to say which was weirder than the other, but out of everything, racing through the bottom of the ocean, on the back of Luke Castellan, who was my best friend and almost brought Olympus to the ground, was definitely something new. It was also, very quickly, inching itself to the top of that list.

If it weren't for the flashlight, we would have fallen into a chasm by now. Luke was running as fast as he could, as I directed the light ahead of us. It was dark, even more than it had been at the island, and cold, horribly cold. We stopped every now and then, to check the compass and make sure we were heading in the right direction. There weren't any sea creatures in sight; even if there were, they wouldn't be able to catch us. The ocean floor sloped and curved underneath us, and I took slow, steady breaths the further we descended. If someone had been there to witness, the godly nature of our trek would be apparent, but no one was, therefore we were nothing more than the current—completely undetectable. So far, we were fine.

But gods, was it awkward.

Neither of us had spoken a word, besides what was necessary, and we didn't technically need to, but I couldn't help the thought that if it had been anyone else with me, we would have stricken up a conversation by now. Not that the desire for conversation was strong—it was, in fact, non-existent. I just would have preferred less tension.

Luke came to a sudden halt and my head hit the back of this with a hard thwump.

"Ouch," I muttered, tightening my grip around his chest. "Mind taking it easy? I don't want to fall off and be left in the dust."

"Sorry," He said, bubbles filtering up and out from his mask. "But we're here."

"What?" I peered over his shoulder and saw a city in the distance, outlined in a dim glow that radiated from buildings and villages and obviously, the palace. "Oh wow, how long have we been running?"

"Half an hour," Luke said. "That's what it felt like. Also, I was the one running."

"Haha, right," I said, tone void of feeling, and dropped from his back to the floor. "Must give credit where credit is due." The city was still a ways away, but the lights were bright enough that the clearing before us was visible enough to walk with flashlights. I found the palace on the horizon, farthest away at the head of the city. "Come on, we've got a camper to save."

We hurried across the field, our feet creating puffs of sand as the dug into the sea floor. To avoid any eyes, we kept a good distance from the city until we were far up enough to come around behind the palace. Here, there were gardens, with pathways all leading to a grand terrace, which was set into the stone of the palace. A set of double doors was at the far back, large, white, and open wide. "There," I pointed. Luke nodded and gestured to a path burdened with heavy sea shrubbery.

"So, what's the plan?" He whispered as we made our way up.

"I have a plan." I said.

"Okay. . .would you like to tell me the plan?"

"No, but thanks for asking."

 _"What?_ " He said. A merman came swimming down a path and we both ducked behind a large coral. "Annabeth, you've got to work with me here."

"I'd rather not."

"Just because you're angry doesn't have to put Percy in danger." Once the merman was gone, we kept moving.

I scoffed, " _I'm_ putting Percy in danger?"

"Right now, yes." I let a breath escape through my nostrils. Once we reached the terrace, our pace grew slower and our steps lighter. There were more mer-people inside and we pressed ourselves close against one of doors, waiting for the hall to clear. "What's the plan?"

I groaned, "It's get inside, get Percy and get out."

"You're kidding? I could have thought of that." He said.

"Did you think about guards or keys or the possibility of seeing our parents?"

He cussed under his breath. "No."

"Exactly," I eyed the hall again. "And now the coast is clear, come on." Some part of my mind, right at the very back, noted that the palace was magnificent. Abalone pillars lined the halls, nacre tiles covered the floors, and luminescent, coral bulbs hung from the ceiling. If it weren't for our current state, I probably would have stopped. We gravitated towards the lower floors, an unspoken assumption between us that the jail cells had to be downstairs. Stairs led us down to a maze of halls, where we were dropping and turning and spinning to keep from the eyes of castle help. The running gave way to unease until we spotted a pair of soldiers exiting a hall.

"That has to be where he is," Luke said.

"Yeah," I agreed. We hurried down the way the soldiers had come and peered around the corner. It wasn't a hall at all. It was a room, large, pristine, and long. Either side was lined with stone dividers and golden bars that reached the ceiling; a faint glow radiated from each of them.

They were prison cells.

I scanned the room, but it was void of guards, and there were no visible cameras. A calculated decision would have been to proceed with caution; instead, I gave a soft shout into the room. Luke shushed me, but I spoke again. "Hello!"

"Yes?" A voice came from inside and we rushed towards it, passing several cells until the speaker was revealed. A man, raven-haired and ocean-eyed, was sitting against the wall, staring up at us.

"Percy," I sighed. He stood up and rushed forwards to hug me through the bars. "You're alright."

"I can't believe this. I thought I was a goner." He said, voice rough. "Nobody else can—" He squinted. "Oh, nice. . .masks?"

"Leo says they're snorkels," Luke said, peering over his shoulder, towards the hall. "We should get you out of here." I stepped away, mind snapping back into focus, and glanced down. The cell had a lock on one side, its color the same gold as the bars.

" Dammit. We do need keys." I said.

"The guard has gone off, I'm not sure where." Percy said.

"Why would they just leave you?"

"Not like I could do much," Percy said and leaned his head against the bars. "The whole place is charmed, these cages are for immortals, gods. My father's trust in me has clearly been distinguished."

"Don't get to sour about it, Jackson. It's not that bad." Luke said and Percy flipped him off; Luke mirrored the action.

I rolled my eyes, "Alright, we have to go find the guard then."

"No way," Percy said. "My father is up there, most likely angry. And who knows what else! He could have called other gods down here by now."

"Then we'll avoid them and kill the guard so he can't alert anyone," I said, eyebrows knitting. "Percy, we have to get you out of here."

 _"Then find another way."_

"Excuse me, I'm rather confident I could last in a fight with a merman."

"That's not what I'm saying."

"Are you sur—"

"Oh, stop bickering," Luke cut in, kneeling down in front of the lock. "Here's your other way." He pulled a small, slender knife from his pocket. My eyes narrowed.

"If you use your powers on that lock, it'll likely set off an alarm."

He raised his hands and smiled, "Fine, I'll do it the old-fashioned way."

I snorted, "Like that'll work."

"You're forgetting something, Annabeth," His smile kept high, a mischievous glint came to his eye. "I stole the bolt." His hands went to the lock and in unison, Percy and I inhaled, watched in silence, as the knife found its way inside and scratched gently, metal against metal. Seconds crawled on, one after the other, until they turned to minutes and my breath escaped me. Luke focused intently on the lock, his eyes peering at something we couldn't see. The knife kept clicking, the sound very small compared to the vast room; it was quiet enough to keep our presence a secret, as long as we weren't interrupted.

The minutes continued and my shoulders slumped, relaxing into the suspense, until a click came that was different than all the others. Everyone straightened out, pulled our heads up, and Luke sighed, turning the knife to the side. Then he stood, pulled it out, and let the door slide open.

"Nice," Percy said and stepped out.

"You did it," I said.

"Yeah," Luke replied. "Thank gods it had metalwork. If it relied solely on magic we would have been screwed." I crossed my arms.

"Not really, I would have eventually found a solution."

Luke shrugged his shoulders, gave an earnest smile. "Yeah, you would have."

"Oh, whatever. Let's go," I pushed past him. "Enough kissing ass." Both boys fell into step behind me, as we headed out. Then something occurred to me and I spun on my heel, making them freeze. "Shit!"

"What?" Percy asked.

"Your sword," I said. "We forgot to bring Riptide."

"It's okay," Percy said. "As long as we keep a low profile, I don't need to fight. Conjuring Riptide would set them off. Once we get far enough away, I'll get us out of here."

"How?" Luke asked.

Percy grinned, "We're gonna turn into a _current."_

"Oh, that's so cool."

"Trust me, I know."

"Guys!" I said and gestured down the hall. "Can we?" They sobered up quickly and we ran off, again navigating through passageways, finding the stairs and climbing them with haste. When we reached the same floor we'd came from before, our steps were hindered, because a guard was there, with a trident strapped to his back and a few scrolls in hand. The moment his eyes fell on us, the realization of our state—stuck in the depths of the ocean, in the palace of the sea god, who was already in a bad mood—hit me in its entirety. "Oh no."

The guard gaped, then reached for his trident, but a current swept down, ferocious and quick, and threw him back into a wall; he fell to the floor, unconscious. Alarms sounded off through the building and I turned back towards Percy, who grimaced. The water next to him shimmered briefly and from it came Riptide, which flew right to his waiting hand.

"Fuck the low profile, I guess." He said.

We ran.

* * *

sorry for the abundance of dialogue, but at least it's a two part!

i really hope you enjoyed and thank you so much for reading. reviews are highly, highly appreciated; i swear i read them whenever i want to make myself smile


	7. What a Lovely Family Reunion PT II

i hope you enjoy! let's go on this rollercoaster together

* * *

ANNABETH:

Through the palace, along the terrace, and across the gardens we ran, guards gathering in numbers behind us the further we went. Sirens blared through the area, a horrible wail that made the hairs on my arms rise and tingle; they were clearly prepared for this. As our feet hit the sand, we kept on. There was nowhere to hide, only empty fields and darkness once the light could no longer reach.

"Percy," I shouted. "Escaping!"

He slid in the sand, coming to a halt. "Right!" We stopped, gathered close to him. The guards were following us still, growing closer. The water swirled around us, became tighter, denser, until a ringing came from above and the cyclone broke as Percy lost his concentration. From above, a trident appeared, sailing high over the palace and falling in an arc, landing right at Percy's feet, only an inch from him. The metal was gleaming, so bright it seemed as if it'd be hot to touch. Percy choked, "That—that's my father's. He tried to. . ." The guards were still coming. I grabbed his arm and shook.

"Percy, we have to get out of here," I said. He wouldn't move. I pulled him away from the trident, which flashed into thin air, and shook him harder. "Percy, snap out of it."

"Too late," Luke said. "Run."

I hauled Percy along as we ran, but the sand slowed us down and the guards were gaining, and sooner than I would've liked, my dagger was yanked from its sheath and our backs were thrown together. A guard charged towards me and I slashed straight across his fin, which sent him tumbling to the floor, blood seeping into the water profusely; my eyes widened.

"Shit, Annabeth!" Luke said.

"What?" I asked, voice shriller than I'd hoped. "I've never fought merpeople before!" Another guard charged towards Luke, who drew his sword and slashed, making the merman fall. The sword caught my attention, it was familiar. "Wait a second, that sword—"

"It's Backbiter," Luke said. "I'll explain later."

Then the entire crowd fell upon us and our conversation was over.

But so was Percy's daze.

"He tried to kill me!" The water around us churned and the guards all flew back simultaneously. Percy had his sword gripped tight, knuckles turning white. A red flush crept up his neck, his cheeks. "I was running away from him and he tried to kill me!"

"Not the time," I said.

"But Annabeth—"

"Not the time," Luke and I said in unison. The guards pushed off the sand, but they were thrown back once more, flying even further. Luke scanned the area, the palace, the horizon.

"Alright, Jackson, get us out of here," Luke said.

"I don't understand! He hadn't even seen me yet," Percy shouted. "I can't believe he would do that!"

 _"It's not that much of a surprise."_ A voice—its owner invisible—swept through the area and my heart sunk. I spun around, searching.

"Who is that?" Luke asked.

"My mother," I said.

"Very good, Annabeth," Athena spoke again and straight from the water she appeared as if stepping through a portal, dressed in full armor, minus her helmet. The guards recovered around us and fell back. "But I'm not alone." In the same manner, Hades and Poseidon stepped forwards beside her. All of them wore the same somber expression, their faces set like stone. Percy was silent at the sight of his father, but I could feel him fuming at my side.

"Nice to see you," I said; nothing else came to mind.

"I'm sure you are," She replied, cold, unfeeling.

"Unfortunately, we can't stay to catch up." I took a step back, a shout came from behind, and I glanced back. The guards had circled around, their tridents all aimed at us.

"You won't be going anywhere," Poseidon said.

"Like you could stop us," Percy rolled his eyes, shook his head. Poseidon's trident flashed, he rose a brow.

"Wrong choice of words," Luke said, observing the area; still planning, still looking for escape.

"I am disappointed with you, Percy," Poseidon said.

"As I am with you, Annabeth." Athena seconded. I stepped back, felt anger fill my chest, felt my stomach flip, then paused. My nerves were untouched, my stomach settled; that feeling wasn't mine. Percy might've been angry, but his father's words had had an effect. Still, I could now feel my blood boil.

" _Disappointed?_ I've done nothing wrong," I said. "I haven't harmed you."

"But you were planning too." She stated.

"No! I never wanted any of this to happen," I waved my hands frantically. "I was unaware of all of this." Athena's eyes flashed, her lips twisted up into a smirk. "Wha—"

"So, you admit your innocence?" Her voice was sharp, quick. "You admit your ignorance of all the events transpired?" She turned to the gods beside her. "I told you both, I told you all."

"No, I'm saying that this isn't my fault, this isn't our fault —"

Athena stepped forward and I stepped back. "Don't run anymore, Annabeth. Listen to me, tell all the Olympians what you just told me and you will be fine. I knew you were too smart to do this, come with me. Leave this boy and I will help you."

My eyes narrowed, "And if you can't help me?" Athena paused, then her mouth shut, and it was clear she had no answer—or rather, she had an answer she didn't like. "That's interesting."

"Still _come_ with me, Annabeth." Athena sighed. "Even if nothing can be done, I won't let anyone harm you."

"But you'd let them get hurt." I pointed to the ones beside me.

"Of course," She said. "One of them was already a traitor and the other, well please, did you truly believe he would've always been good enough for—" I cut her off.

"Are you insinuating, what I _think_ you're insinuati—"

All the light had leached from her eyes, "I think you're smart enough to have figured out exactly what I mean and more, daughter."

"Bite me."

"I did everything for you!" Percy yelled suddenly, drawing my mother's attention off me. A harsh breath escaped through my nose and I turned towards him; he was yelling at his father. "I did everything you ever needed me to do and you're _disappointed_."

Hades stepped forwards, "You've lost your mind. Do you think you could get away with _this?_ "

"With _what?_ " Percy said. "Do you even know what is going on? Of course not, you just came to kill us!"

Athena laughed, "Well, obviously, we weren't going to let you live."

"We haven't even done anything wrong."

"You're mad."

"Yeah, that tends to happen when my grandfather's in my head torturing me half the day."

Poseidon's eyes widened, "Perseus, what do you mean—" Hades grabbed him by the shoulder, halted him.

"Brother, he's lying."

"Not that it matters, you'd still kill me either way."

"You think us _that_ unkind?" Hades questioned, voice rising.

"I don't think, I know."

"Jackson," Luke yelled. "Now, is not the time to be a smart-ass!"

"It seems Castellan has learned from his mishaps," Athena said. "Time for you to do the same." I took a step closer to Percy, raised my dagger.

"You're not taking anyone and we're leaving ," I said.

"No," Poseidon sighed. "I'm afraid you're not."

"Sorry, Dad," Percy said, stepping forwards. "That's one thing I can't do."

"Παρ'τα," Poseidon said and all around us soldiers closed in. A hiss escaped from between Luke's teeth and he spun around, leveling his sword. I hooked a hand underneath Percy's arm and hauled him backward, spinning him to face me and hold my gaze. _Maybe stop the hostility,_ I suggested, _it's just making them angrier_. His iris' were dark; a deeper, more unsettling green so different from his regular hue. A merman charged from the side and I reacted on instinct, a wall of energy throwing him backward. _Don't worry,_ he said, _I've got it under control._

"No," I shook my head, but he went to turn and as he did, my vision caught something far behind. It was a merman, his body but a speck in the distance, falling on the horizon between our parents, his body illuminated by the castle lights. The world spun through sand as I noticed his raven hair, double tail, the trident held so carefully in his hands, glowing brighter by the second, aimed straight forwards, right at—"Percy, no!" With my own shriek ringing through my ears, I watched as Triton released the weapon and it came hurtling towards us, speed unnatural, arc sleek and true, its three prongs awaiting their target. I clenched Percy's shirt, moved to pull, but my mind did the math, drew the plans, it was too fast, it—

It never reached its target.

Instead, a wall of black flame grew high around us, throwing the merman back and disintegrating the trident on impact. I froze. "Percy. . ."

"What is _this?_ " Hades spat.

"You moron," I said and pulled his face close. "This is exactly what we were not supposed to do."

He smiled, "Thalia already got her fight, why can't we have a little fun?"

"Do the math and you'll have your answer." My eyebrows knit together. "Percy, this isn't you."

"It's not me, either," A voice rang through the water and Nico dropped down beside us, body solidifying from shadows and water. "But look at where we are."

"Imbecile," Hades spat. "Do you wish for death?"

"Of course not," Nico said. "Then again, I _am_ technically overdue."

"Nico, shut up! Get us out of here," I said. "Right this instant."

"Sorry," He shrugged. "Percy got me down here, so Percy has to help to begin with."

I pinched Percy's chin between my forefingers, "I'm not dying because you're on some ego high, Kelp Head."

"Come on, Annabeth," Another voice rang through the water and the area began to hum, like the buzz of a machine. "He can't help it, it's hereditary." Blood rushed to my head, heart beating faster.

"That's not—"

"It is," Jason materialized, dropping down a few feet away from us; blue eyes and strong jaw and SPQR tattoo leaving no other possible conclusion to who he was. "I couldn't resist." In front of us, the Olympians were wide-eyed, then tight-lipped, then crimson-faced.

"I thought it was the Thalia," Athena said.

"It is Thalia," Poseidon said. "That much is clear."

"Then why is that," Hades pointed. "Standing right in front of us."

"Newsflash!" Jason yelled and pulled down the neckline of his shirt, revealing half of his mark; a vague outline of a lightning bolt could be seen, a bird, a flower. "Since I'm apparently Juno's lapdog, Thalia and I share both powers. We just don't share each other's bed."

Beside the Olympians, a bolt of lightning struck the sand—it's light merciless, so bright it burned—and Zeus sprung forth, both eyes glowing, like liquid mercury. _"What did you just say?"_

"I'm gonna have a heart attack!" Luke screamed and fisted Percy's shirt, yanking him close. "You don't know what you're doing, get us out of here!"

"No one is going anywhere," Zeus said, voice laced with rage. A buzzing grew, just like it had with Jason. I stared at the god, watched his jaw set, felt my body tense. Poseidon whipped his head to the side.

"Brother—"

"Father!" Athena yelled, but it did no good. With a crack, lighting appeared around us. Jason lifted his hand, ready to stop it, but I threw up a shield, made a defense; it was a bad decision. The lightning hit and the wall held its place, but the force hit me instead, knocking the air right out of my lungs. I gasped, placed a hand to my chest.

"Annabeth," Percy said, his voice finally shaken, eyes their normal green.

"I'm fine," I said. "I'm fine."

"You won't be fine for long," Zeus spat. Athena lunged towards him, stopped him from reaching for the bolt. Her expression was hard, like his own; pure steel.

"Father, not my daughter. She's done nothing."

"I'd rather die with them than be stuck with you!" I screamed. When she whipped her head towards me, her eyes were worried; porcelain.

"We're leaving, now," Luke said. "You've all had enough fun—" He coughed. "Enough fun, now let's—" He coughed again and again, then took a deep breath and pressed a hand against his sternum. "What—"

"The air pocket," Percy said. "It's running out. You've got to get to the surface."

"Grab them!" Poseidon shouted.

"Kill them," Zeus said.

I shook my head frantically, felt a pressure start to build in my lungs as well. "Percy, do something!"

"The air I conjure doesn't work like Thalia's," Percy said. A wall of black flame went up around us and stayed up. Nico moved closer.

"Percy, figure something out. We're not leaving anytime soon," He said.

"I can help," Jason moved towards us, but a boom sounded around us, the wall fell and Nico cussed and Zeus, like a frantic madman, charged forth and tackled Jason down. A collective scream ran through the four of us.

"Go," Percy said and pushed Luke and I backward. "I'm sorry, go now." A wave of water pushed advancing merman back, but not our parents. Objections died on my tongue, Luke's hands wrapped around my abdomen. "Go, please!" A hand, shining like a beacon, clamped down on Percy's shoulder and pulled him away. Then, the entire world blurred. Luke was running, with me on his back, no flashlights to illuminate the area. I glanced behind, watched the horizon explode into flashes of black and blue, watched a white streak set off towards us.

"My mother's following us," I said.

"She's not going to catch us," Luke said, breath labored.

"We're not going to make it to the island before the pressure kills us, and if we don't run for the island my mother will probably catch us."

"Then I guess our only other option is prayer."

"Pray? To who?"

 **.**

LUKE:

The air was hot, hazy; trees rustled in the scarce wind and sunlight filtered through crowded branches. The ground underneath my fingertips was warm, damp from the rain that must've blown through earlier that day. Beside me, Annabeth stirred, pushed herself off the ground, took in the clearing, the trees, the tent sitting across from us, nestled between two trunks, now covered in vines and foliage from years of neglect. She turned to me, questions in her eyes.

"We're in Virginia." She guessed.

"Yeah. Safehouse number three." I said.

"No one knows we're here?"

"Not unless Athena's toying with us and pretended to lose us."

Annabeth smiled, "Don't worry about that, she definitely lost us."

I turned to her, "Excuse me?" She sat up straighter, propped arms on knees.

"You'd think messing with the mind of the Goddess of Wisdom impossible, but if you're her daughter, with a carbon copy of her own power. . ." She sighed. "Not so impossible."

"What did you do?"

"Made her think she saw us, running deeper into the Atlantic."

I laughed, "You know you probably would've been a great Hermes kid."

"Oh, definitely. One time during Capture the Flag, I trapped both Stolls. They were hanging from a tree by their underwear."

I clapped a hand to my chest, "What? Where was I for that? "

"You were," Suddenly her smile disappeared. "You were, um. . ." The answer went unspoken but was revealed nonetheless. A story like that would've spread like wildfire, which meant I hadn't been around to hear it. I swallowed and my own saliva seemed to taste bitter.

"Yeah, I was." Silence threatened the space between us, but she changed the subject before it could move further.

"Do you remember how we made it here?"

"Not exactly, it was a bit of a blur."

"Same here," She nodded. "I thought I was going insane."

"Guess that's what water pressure will do to you."

Annabeth huffed and paused; her eyes were trained on the grass in front of her, slowly her brows knit together. My stomach flipped then, like someone had thrown me down against the mat in a wrestling match. The heat caused a sweat to break on my brow, unease sank into my chest. "What happened to Leo's masks?" She asked a moment later. My limbs locked, neck went stiff, solidifying me there on the ground. I grabbed the pile of scrap that had been sitting beside me and passed it to her.

"We fell. A couple of times. They broke on the incline towards land. Remember, I tripped on the rock?" The pieces clinked together in her hands as she inspected it. I started to pick at the grass, waiting for her answer.

"Yeah, I do. . .but we were holding our breath for a while. By the time we had reached shore, things were dark, I almost let go. I think I did actually and you picked me up and. . ." I swallowed, tongue turning to cotton, nails digging into dirt. The world had gone dark, my vision had tunneled, the surface nothing but a bright dot at the end of a cylinder. It felt as if someone had taken my lungs in their hands, determined to squeeze until they popped. Annabeth's grip had loosened around my neck and I'd reached around in time to keep her from floating back down into the depths. We'd breached close to shore, coughing and hacking, waves knocking us back and forth, tumbling over into the sand. It was when I'd clambered up to shore, dragging Annabeth with shaky palms, that I'd noticed she was limp. Time had stopped, cries had spilled over my lips, sorrow overpowering adrenaline, I'd done only what I could remember.

"You saved my life."

"Don't," I started, to harsh to brush off. "Don't worry about it."

"Luke, _tell me what happened._ " Her voice was harder than mine; I turned to find her eyes even more so.

"You wouldn't wake up, so I started CPR and," I steadied my voice. "It took so much longer than it should, I thought you were gone, Annabeth." She was silent for a long time, long enough for me to glance her way; her chin was resting on her knees.

"I suppose I've had worse. . .but thank you."

"Don't," I said, harsh again, and berated myself silently. "Don't thank me."

"Why not?"

"I don't deserve your thanks."

"Oh my. . ." She made a hacking noise like she was choking and rolled her eyes. "Shut up with the broody, gut-wrenching guilt attitude. It's getting irritating."

"But I don't."

"No, you don't deserve my sympathy." She sat up straighter and grabbed my wrist, making sure to hold my gaze. "But it seems like I would have died if you hadn't saved me, so just accept my stupid thank you before I take it back." Her grip disappeared and it felt like I'd been stung.

"Sure," I said. "Alright."

"Thank gods'," She mumbled, returning to her previous position. "At least someone's useful."

"What? You're useful. Are you talking about yourself? Probably not. Unless you are? You can't be, you're totally useful, you couldn—"

"Luke, I'll cut your tongue out." The other words I had died in my throat. "Yes, I'm talking about myself."

I snorted, "Annabeth, you have got to be joking. You're useful, you're the most important player."

She glared at me, "I've been screwing up everything. I embarrassed myself in front of the entire camp, I broke Percy's ribs. I couldn't even stay conscious! And because of that, you had to haul me out of the dumb ocean and—" I held up my hands.

"Whoa, are you serious? Is this what you think about?"

"If your mother was the goddess of wisdom, you would too."

"Annabeth, we wouldn't have even made it to shore if you hadn't tricked your mother in the first place. Also, you broke Percy's ribs because you won that fight, and you beat me countless times over the past two weeks."

"Well, beating you isn't hard, Luke." She said and my eyes widened, mouth closing shut. She laughed a moment later, hiding her grin with the back of her hand. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

"Whatever makes you feel better."

"Oh, please. Just let me be embarrassed, would you?"

"You wouldn't let me be broody," I said and fell backwards against the ground, stuffing my hands behind my head. Annabeth glanced back at me, before tilting her head towards the sky.

"Oh, it's past noon."

"Yeah, once you were breathing, I brought us here and decided to wait." Annabeth opened her mouth to reply, but never got the chance. A rustle came from the heavy thicket across the clearing and we both bolted to our feet, weapons drawn.

"That's not my mother."

"We've been here over an hour, I swear I've felt nothing."

Annabeth cussed as the shrubbery rustled again and I steadied my sword, but the panic that had crept into my chest was suddenly replaced, by a steady heart and a settled stomach. A faint hum grew in my ear, wind tickled the back of my neck. Beside me, Annabeth lowered her weapon; I found myself doing the same. "Is that?"

"I think so." She said.

From the green, Thalia appeared with a smile on her face and Zoë at her side. Both were clothed in armor, but neither were tense. Thalia crossed her arms, "You're both getting way too good at this, I'll never be able to sneak up on you now." Annabeth ran forwards and threw her arms around Thalia, who responded with bone-crushing strength.

"Ow, ow, you're gonna break my spine!" Annabeth said.

"Sorry, when you hadn't been back we panicked. Especially since," Thalia stopped and pursed her lips. "Actually, nevermind." Annabeth and I glanced at each other, then back to Thalia. Zoë was behind her, leaning against a tree, seemingly unaffected.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Nothing important," Thalia shrugged.

"It's very important," Zoë said.

"Wait," Annabeth gasped. "Percy and Nico, and gods, Jason!"

"We have to go get them," I said.

"No, we don't," Thalia waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine."

I blanched, "You're kidding, right?"

"Not at all, we have an arrangement."

"Your arrangement was for them to start fighting their fathers?" Annabeth shouted.

"No, that was a bump in the road, but it's all figured out now, so we should get going."

"What's figured out?"

"Gods' I can't take this prodding nonsense," Zoë said and came forward. "This one," she pointed to Thalia, "and Katie were planning as soon as thou left. When you got caught up, both of those boys ran off like they had a clue what they were doing and now we're arranged to meet, where did you say, Italy?" Thalia scratched the back of her neck and nodded quickly, eyes downcast.

"Why are we going to Italy?" Annabeth threw her hands in the air. "Are any of you organized?"

"Ask her!" Zoë pointed again. "Apparently we're stopping their first because there's something special about Egypt."

"Egypt?" Annabeth asked.

"Egypt?" I said and Thalia spun on her heel, walking hurriedly in the direction they came. The calm that had washed over us left me all at once. _"Egypt?"_

 **.**

SOMEPLACE, SOMEWHERE:

Night had fallen on New York City, and on the top floor of a high-rise in lower Manhattan, a gathering of sorts had begun. The loft was clearly made for a company of refined taste, tiled and polished and gilded from head to toe. The place was shrouded, dipped in secrecy, cloaked from the world; from prying eyes and curious souls. If an honest man had stepped inside, he would have been turned to ash by the deceit that lingered in the air, the poison that hung along the walls. In the main room, a woman was seated on a couch, that was as sleek and square as the rest of the apartment. She was draped in a gown, sitting straight up, with blonde ringlets falling down her back and hands grasped neatly in her lap; her gaze carried to the windows, overlooking the skyline.

Another man was present, standing tall near the window, his dressing far less grand, clothed in a pair of sweatpants and a white t-shirt. Held between his fingers was a glass of whiskey, half-empty. The man stretched, combing his free hand through his hair, a messy crown of midnight curls. He turned to the woman and yawned. "When do you suppose they'll all get here?"

Before the woman could reply, another figure appeared.

"I've been here," The new man said, a pair of wings folding behind him. "I just enjoy watching the two of you."

The woman sat back against the couch, "You're disgusting, Eros."

Eros smiled, "Voyeurism is one of my many virtues, I'm afraid. Besides, you're both beyond aesthetically pleasing, you can't expect me to refrain from this sort of thing, Helen."

Helen scoffed, "Oh look, my anticipation for this meeting, it's gone."

"Try a little harder, sweetheart." The whiskey man said.

"I can't, Heracles," Helen extended her arm to him and he gravitated towards her to take a seat at her side, placing the glass on the table in front of them. "He's aggravating."

"Oh, you're both sickening." A voice came from the shadows and a woman walked forth from them, body solidifying into a thin mass of pale, transparent skin and dark tresses. Mist still clung to her as she took a seat in a lone, ornate chair.

"If you don't like it, go on and die," Helen said. The ghostly woman rolled her eyes until only the white could be seen and turned to Eros.

"Do you think she has a clue as to the joke she's making?"

"I'm sure she does, Melinoe," Eros replied.

"Where are the others?" Heracles asked.

"Does it look like I care enough to know?" Melinoe asked. Suddenly, a groan sounded throughout the room, coming through the walls and from the sink in the kitchen, all pipes collectively whining in unison from pressure. "Oh look, he's here."

"And he seems angry," Eros said.

From the front door, a man burst in, armor hanging crooked over his torso and a trident in hand; he closed the door with such force that the glass paneling shattered as it hit the frame. Helen gazed upon it with exhaustion, "You could have just appeared."

"No, I couldn't have," The man spat. "I needed to break something, especially after that infuriating little, brat got away."

"He escaped?" Heracles asked and left Helen's side, striding over to the disheveled man. "They all escaped?" At his words, others began to appear in the room, their eyes trained on the conversing men.

"Would I look like this if they hadn't?" The man gestured to himself and leaned his trident against the wall. "It was chaos, they wrecked the entirety of the royal gardens."

"Oh, the royal gardens," Melinoe waved her hands. "What horror!"

"Could you drop the sarcasm from one fucking day?" The man asked.

"No, it brings me joy in my misery."

"Enough of the banter," Heracles said and grabbed the man by his breastplate. "We needed them trapped and captured. We were going to get those six out of the way first, Triton, and now you're telling me three of those six, escaped?"

Triton shrugged him off. "I tried my best, you imbecile. Everyone is on edge and I'm working alone. Don't you think my father would find it suspicious if I just started strangling my pathetic little brother? If I went straight for his mark? Don't you think he'd ask me to stop?"

"I didn't say kill, I said trap."

"But we agreed on death all the same, yes?" Melinoe had risen to her feet and stared at both men. "Clearly, you two can't do anything right.

"Clearly, you can't follow directions," Heracles said. "We're not supposed to kill them now. He said we have to wait."

"Kronos says a lot of things," Melinoe said. "Not many of them true."

"I don't think he'd lie about this," Phobos said, raising his hand. "Permission to speak? I don't want to be electrocuted like last time." Heracles waved his hand. "I think we just need to step up our game, these kids obviously know what they're doing."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Helen asked. The others in the room gravitated closer, each of them curious, each of them ready for action.

"We need to be one step ahead of them." Phobos offered. "And to do that, we need to predict their next move."

"We can't predict anything," Melinoe said. "Not even Kronos can tell you what they will do."

"Sure, we can't and he can't and not even the Olympians can," Phobos smirked. "But the Oracle might just do the trick." Throughout the room, the lords and ladies glanced at one another, venom and contemplation dancing in the space between them. Heracles straightened up and smoothed his shirt, speaking what was already decided.

"Well, then I suppose we have a need to. . . _visit_ the Oracle."

* * *

and the plot. . .THICKENS.

as always, i can never make any promises, but i will try my best to get the next chapter out. thank you so much for reading and i hope you enjoyed please let me know your thoughts in the comments!

reviews are highly appreciated, truly worshipped and they seriously do motivate me

thanks again hopefully i'll see ya soon


	8. Big Boots Is A Prick

here i am again! go on, get reading, see you at the end!

also i thought i'd put the AO3 summary here bc i thought it was funny: I fought my Dad and all I got was a shitty wound.

* * *

PERCY:

"I can't move."

Sand, wet and heavy, seeped between my fingertips. Every few moments, waves splashed over my legs, sometimes grazing my hips; it was both to warm and gentle to be anywhere along the East Coast. The sun beat against my back, its heat steady like a drummer's tempo, never ceasing, never slinking behind a cloud for just a moment. The voice that had spoken before came again, muffled this time. A wave crashed, surged up the sand, reached the very bottom of my ribs; my body clenched up, wounds stinging from the salt. I had yet to open my eyes, but the blackness of slumber was fading, sun spots danced across my eyelids, the details came fast, my surroundings sliding into a sharp, mean focus.

"I can't move." Jason was groaning and I flung myself over with a start, a deep, rattling breath shaking my frame. The movement came with repercussions. A burn ran through my limbs, almost blinding in its ferocity. I cussed, hands fisting into the sand. "Tell me about it."

"It feels," I coughed. "It feels like I got hit by a freight truck."

"We basically did. But it was more like three freight trucks, going full speed, at the same time."

"How did we survive?"

Jason snorted, "Teamwork."

"Oh right, gotta make sure to keep that in mind for next time."

"I'd rather there be no next time."

"Same here," I coughed. "They didn't hold back."

"No," Jason said. "They really didn't."

"What do you think that means?"

"We either get rid of this curse or they're going to kill us."

"Fantastic," I said, bitterness thick on my tongue. With more effort than I'd like to admit, I sat up. It was slow-going and painful and it stung. My entire abdomen burned, muscles protesting against the strain. "This is _bullshit._ Where's Nico?"

"Behind you both." We turned towards the voice and sure enough, further up the beach, he was lying flat, arms thrown over his face. "I'm never helping you again, Percy. Ever."

"Don't blame you." I made to move, anticipating the vicious ache, but not the sharp stab that spread underneath my ribs. I froze and gasped, wind thoroughly ripped from me. " _Guys."_

"Shit, Percy, your side." Jason said and sat up, letting out a labored bellow in the process. Nico struggled up in the same manner. "You're bleeding."

"Lie back down," Nico said and pulled back the fabric of my shirt. He grimaced. "That came from my father."

"Don't care.," I said. "I'm not lying down, we've got to go—"

"Lie back down," They chorused.

"You're all real sweet on each other, aren't you?" A voice came from behind, rough, husky, soaked with cologne-like arrogance, and _familiar._ One moment we were huddled there on the sand, the next we were standing, facing him in a line. I kept a hand pressed to my side and took Riptide out with the other. Sweat broke out at the nape of my neck, and I stuck my sword in the sand to keep steady. "Jackson, you're a fuckin' mess."

"Shut up, shithead," I fell into a coughing fit much to my dismay. "You didn't look any better when I beat you close to death." Big Boots was healed by now, clearly, his hair pulled back off his face and that infuriating smile plastered across it. I hadn't forgotten his height, but as he stood there, arms crossed, chin up, he seemed much more like a giant rather than just tall. I gripped Riptide tighter.

"What do you want?" Jason asked.

"I'm here to help," Big Boots said.

"You're hilarious," Nico said. "I think I might just break a rib."

"Hope it's not mine."

"Answer our question and it might not be," I said.

"Perseus, you know either way you'll still try to kill me," Big Boots sighed. "But don't worry, I'll answer your question." Behind him smoke gathered, swirling in thick wisps, and a beach chair appeared. He sat down, shoving his clunky, black boots into the sand. "In fact, I'm here to _destroy your intellectual stronghold's_ , if I'm remembering correctly."

"Our what?" I asked. Big Boots rolled his eyes and tapped his temple.

"Your head, kid," He said. "Your sense of security, your grasp on reality."

Nico huffed, "Well, then get on with it."

"Turns out you and your little crew aren't the only bastards around threatening their parent's existence."

"We know the curse is spreading," Nico said. "Leave, you're useless."

"No, these brats don't have the curse, they're just trying to kill your parents."

"Oh, really? How are they gonna do that?" I asked.

"They're working with Kronos."

I paused, felt the curiosity, the interest of the others; Nico and Jason were just as confused, just as wary. Smoke wrapped around Big Boots hand, then dissipated, leaving behind a soft drink. He smiled and raised the glass. "Looks like my work here is done."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "Other kids at camp, they're working with Kronos? Did they know about us?"

He took a sip from his glass, "No, of course not. He wasn't going to try that again after the Castellan fiasco. He had a backup plan, these are his backup plan."

"Which ones?" Nico raised his sword. "Be specific."

"Older ones. That's all I'm allowed to release."

"But there are no older ones," Nico said. "There's barely any demigods as old as us."

"Unless they're dead." Jason said.

"Or _were_ dead." Big Boots added.

"Dead demigods?" I yelled. "There are dead demigods running around?" Big Boots leaned forwards and laughed.

"Possibly," He said. "Possibly not." He gestured to the three of us. "I'm just participating in this little gossip session you've got going on. It's entertaining." Jason moved forwards, but I held him back and tried not to flinch at the pain blossoming beneath my ribs.

"Just tell us," Nico said. "Tell us or we'll make you tell us."

Big Boots threw his glass to the floor and held up his hands, "Alright, I'll tell you one more thing, is that good enough?"

"Perfect," I said.

"This group of old backstabbers. . .they're using you to get to your parents. So I suggest you watch out," Big Boots smirked. "See you soon, boys. The next time will most likely be with you all behind bars. Again." He grew blurry, smoke swirling up his legs. Jason slipped from my grasp and ran for him, ready to tackle, but by the time he launched himself, the only thing left to grab was air. Jason fell against the sand and rolled, cursing once he came to a stop.

"He was lying," Nico said.

"I don't think so," Jason said.

"I do," Nico said.

"I don't," I said. "He's never lied before." My legs started to shake, or maybe I finally realized they were, and Nico slipped a hand around my waist before I could fall.

"Come on," He sighed. "We have to get to the others or at least a convenient store. Water isn't going to heal a wound from my father." Jason walked over and grabbed my other side. The world seemed to spin like its axis had snapped. "I still don't think we should trust him."

I chuckled. "Who do we have left to trust?"

.

THALIA:

Italy was hot.

Not just regular, day at the pool hot, but strip a layer off, tie your hair up, and still sweat through your tank top hot. It didn't help that we were here in the middle of the summer but I couldn't complain, at least no one had sensed us when we'd traveled.

"Hazel, are you alright?" I said and craned my head around. She was still sitting on the pavement, in the shadow of the building she'd brought us through, back propped against the brick wall. Frank was by her side, half-empty water bottle held in the space between them. Her eyes were closed and the back of her hand was pressed against her forehead.

"I'm fine. Just tired." She sighed.

"I'm sorry, I swear I would've done it. Shadow or lightning travel doesn't make a difference, we took a risk getting caught either way."

"I know," She opened her eyes and found mine. "But I've got to learn how to control these powers, Thalia. I can't be scared of them anymore."

"I'm a little scared of 'em," Leo muttered.

"Don't be," Jason said, throwing an arm around his shoulders. "We'll help each other."

"First, we have to help ourselves to Rome," Katie said, still scanning the area. "Cause this city definitely isn't it." Hazel cussed under her breath.

"Don't worry, you got us here," I said to her and turned back around to face the open plaza. " _That's_ the important part." It was a busy area, vendors and tourists and locals all rushing to and fro, but there wasn't any transportation. "I'll bring us to Rome."

"Too soon," Katie sighed. "Let's get normal transportation."

"You're just paranoid."

"She's being smart," Annabeth called out. I groaned and started off across the plaza.

"Wait here," I said, but Katie caught up to me quickly. We walked, down one road and another, coming across shops and restaurants and everything but a bus. "You'd think a country with such a big tourist industry would have more easily accessible buses."

"Even if we find one that's not the best idea. We need to keep to ourselves." Katie said.

"Do you have any other suggestions?" We rounded another corner, the shadow of a building disappearing as we stepped into the sun. Our pace was interrupted and we stopped short at the curb of a street, raising our hands to block the light.

"Yeah, if we get into a major fight with our parents. Remind me to slap Apollo with a vine."

I snorted and looked where to go next, but my eyes fell on an open clearing across the street. It was a parking lot, square, decently-sized, and it was settled next to a large, stone building with statues lining the perimeter. In the lot, there were a handful of cars, a few vans and trucks, but towards the front, seated in a lone spot, sat a sports car, sleek, slim, and silver.

Katie followed my line of sight, "No."

"Yes," I smiled.

"That is the opposite of keeping to ourselves."

I turned to her, "We have to get there somehow."

"Thalia, I don't care what you say. The answer is going to be, without a doubt, no matter how many times or how many ways you say it, no."

.

We breezed through the countryside at a steady 75 miles per hour.

"You're unbelievable."

"You're the one driving the car." I said and adjusted my feet on the dashboard. Despite her place at the wheel, Katie still glanced over to show me how unamused she was. We were headed north towards Rome; turns out we had landed somewhere in southern Italy. Behind us, four cars followed, each holding demigod cargo. In the backseat, sat two more, both unable to stay still.

"Katie, can I please drive?" Luke asked, leaning forward between our two chairs.

I snorted, "Absolutely not."

"Listen, this is a custom four-seater Lamborghini. It's luxury, it's fast, it definitely belonged to someone filthy rich and we just stole it. This is my dream come true, please let me drive."

"Don't let him," Annabeth said. "His other dream got people killed."

Katie made a choking noise at the back of her throat, "Guess that settles that." Luke groaned and fell back, only for Annabeth to take his place.

"Thalia, I know we're trying to get to Rome as fast as possible but we're passing by some really amazing cities. I mean if we could pause for just a second to visit some landmarks. . ."

"Sorry, Annie, you know what I'm gonna say." I said and she fell back as well. A sign came up on our right that read: _ROMA 50 Miglia._ "Still got a ways to go."

"We can tough it out," Katie said. The countryside around us was miles of green flanked on either side, and it went on like this without pause. It took every ounce of self-control to keep put, to not pull over and force everyone into a line to be flashed there in an instant. My throat tightened as the thoughts crawled towards the forefront of my mind again, tempting and teasing and taunting. I clenched my fists and tried to relax. Human transportation was fine, it was good.

It was another ten minutes watching the green before—

 _Can someone tell me why I'm stuck with Beckendorf?_ Clarisse rang clear through our heads.

 _We're almost there._ I thought.

 _I need to switch, right now._

 _She's just mad cause the car has reached a consensus that I'm better at cooking._ Beckendorf said.

 _He's so wrong._

 _Stop it,_ Silena jumped in. _Clarisse, I wanted you both in that car cause I know you're_ _ **both**_ _the most qualified to take care of the new campers. Now, please quit it, we have to stop using our powers._ Everything went quiet, then together both replied with a small fine.

Katie's shoulders sagged, _Thank you, Silena_ —A high pitched ring sounded off, like a mic moved to close to someone's mouth. Katie and I yelled, the car swerved and Annabeth grabbed the wheel.

"Fuck," I pressed in on my eardrums. "What the fuck."

"Are you guys okay?" Luke asked.

"What are you talking about? You didn't hear that?" Annabeth and Luke shared a glance than shook their heads. I turned to Katie, with her wide, knowing eyes.

"Sam."

.

Grass was damp between my toes, wind chill against my skin. The sky was dark, a charcoal gray, and lightning flashed on the horizon, miles of roving hills between us. I dug my nails deep into my palms, fear dropping like an anchor down into my stomach.

It was the dream, the same dream. Again and again and again.

 _You're not like the others._

"Leave me alone," I said. The storm started to move, closer.

 _You like this._

"Just get away from me," My voice was weak, so weak; I hated it. Thunder cracked, as always, and the lightning flew across the hills. And I ran. Ran away as fast as my legs could carry me.

 _You could never give this up._

Thunder cracked again, a whip against my ears, and I searched frantically for cover, but there never was any. Just hills and grass and sky; sky surrounding everything.

 _You don't have to get rid of it, Thalia._

 _You could help me._

I ran faster, heartbeat hard, painful against my chest. The earth grew wetter, thicker until my ankles were sloshing in water getting tangled in grass tendrils, constantly tripping me. It was always the same, the thunder booming louder, as if coming straight from my chest, as if it was something closing in from all sides, but I didn't dare look. Another step sent me sprawling, falling into water deep enough to soak, knees sinking into dirt.

 _This power agrees with you._

 _Take it, Thalia._

The lightning caught up with me, it always caught me. I shoved my face into my hands, refusing to look at what was there, a thousand, burning, screaming volts, surrounding me like a chamber. By the second they inched closer.

"Leave me alone!"

 _Take the sky, Thalia._

 _Take all of it!_

A scream slipped from my lips and the lightning collapsed inward, burned my bones, turned the world white.

"Thalia!" The world was shaking, I was shaking, someone was shaking me. I gasped and flew forwards, neck damp, hair stuck against my forehead, hands gripping leather. The world was bathed in sun and Katie had a hand on my shoulder. She was leaning into the car, face tense, concerned, questions already set on the tip of her tongue. I fell back against the seat and waved her off. She disappeared one moment, and another face took her place the next.

"Are you okay?" Luke asked. I groaned and shoved my way out of the car. We were parked along a street made of cobblestone. Buildings rose around us and there were people everywhere.

"Oh, shut up."

"But—"

"Try to follow orders for once Luke," Annabeth said, shoving in front of him. "Just this once." She wrapped an arm around mine and pulled me a few feet away, than her voice dropped low. "Are you okay?"

I pulled away, "The next person who asks me a question is going to regret it." Annabeth squinted her eyes, frowned. Luke leaned up against the car. Lee yelled.

"Yeah! Let's stop bothering Thalia and focus on more important things," He said. "Like food, maybe."

"Seconded," Clarisse said.

"Maybe let's focus on Sam, too," Katie said.

"Exactly," I said and pulled my hair back, off my face. "So we're here, which way?" Beckendorf pulled a gadget from his pocket, tapped it a few times, and pointed down the road.

"That way," He said.

"Great." I walked off, no care for what happened to the cars, no care how far we had stopped from the meeting place. The others filed behind me even though Beckendorf had the directions, but I kept walking. Staring at the stores, the people, the slanting sun against the tops of buildings, and walking, anything to keep the thoughts—the dream—out of my head. Someone fell into step beside me; I didn't need to look. "Luke, don't say a word."

"Thalia, you were murmuring. . .things," He kept close, voice low. "If you could just tell me—"

"I wasn't kidding," I glared at him. "You will regret it if you keep talking. Drop it."

"Fine," His pace kept in step with mine.

"Fine."

.

PERCY:

"Rome is more crowded than the city," I said.

"No it's not," Nico said. Someone bumped into my shoulder—older, baseball cap, sunburned, definitely a Dad—and grunted back in my direction as he passed.

"It definitely is."

"Well we're almost to the meeting place anyway," Nico glanced down at the map in his hands. "If I'm right that is."

"You're Italian," Jason said. "How can you be wrong?"

"I'm from Venice," Nico sighed. "I've never _been_ to Rome." Their banter drifted into background noise as we kept on. I pressed a hand against my now bandaged wound, thinking about Big Boots' words. If he was lying, then he was tricking us, but if he wasn't, that meant there were people after our parents that we didn't know about. Siblings that were working with Kronos to kill the parents we couldn't contact? A question like that left me with a headache worse than Annabeth's.

"Look it's right there," Jason pointed across the piazza, to a restaurant nestled between two stores. Iron chairs and tables, surrounded by hanging lanterns, sat underneath a brown awning. Gold cursive was written on top that looked like scribbles to me. Thankfully, I already knew what it said: _Piccolo Focolare Caffe._ "That's it, right?"

Nico glanced at the map, "Well, we're in the right area." We hurried across the square until we stood in front. The windows were darkened, but the place thrummed with a welcoming energy. I stepped up to the door, "They might already be here, plus we can always ask. We're not fugitives to the human world yet, come on."

We crowded inside, into the little space between the entrance and the hostess' stand, and waited. The interior was dim, light coming from soft lamps, candles on tabletops, and a fireplace nestled into the wall. Though once my eyes adjusted, it was easy enough to make out a group of people in the back, taking up an entire corner of the restaurant and keeping themselves composed enough to not get kicked out. A head of blonde curls was amongst them and my legs moved without warning, ignoring the woman who had come to greet us. As I got closer to them, some waved, others yelled, but Annabeth shot up and met me halfway. I threw my arms around her and she did the same; Jason and Nico passed us by but we remained there, still.

"You're an absolute maniac," She said. "That was not okay."

"I know we got a little out of hand. It won't happen again," I said and pressed my lips into her hair. "I'm so glad you're okay. I was such a—"

"Seaweed Brain?" She offered and pulled back to look up at me.

"That's one word for it," I said. "How did you guys get back? Are you hurt?" For a moment she pursed her lips, then let out a breath through her nose and shook her head.

"We're both fine." She said. I decided to leave it alone.

"I knew you'd be."

"What about you? How did you three get out of there?"

"Teamwork," I shrugged. "Just a few scratches, nothing big."

"Percy, got hit with _what?_ " Zoë exclaimed. Annabeth whipped her head around, then back towards me and her hands traced down my abdomen. They paused at my ribs. I glanced around to see if others were staring, some eyes roamed, but not many stayed. "That's going to take power we can't risk."

"You're in so much trouble," Annabeth said.

"I was going to tell you in a minute, maybe an hour," I said and she pinched the space beneath my arm. "Ow! I just wanted to hold you for awhile, not worry about anything, okay?" The minor irritation that was marking her features dissipated.

"You're unbelievable," She said. I leaned down to kiss her but she ducked away. "No way, secret keepers don't get kisses."

"But—"

"Hey lovebirds," Thalia barked. "Get over here." We walked over, weaving through the tables, and took a seat at her table. Zoë pulled a chair over and attempted to pull up my shirt.

"The people," I hissed.

"I don't care," She hissed back. "Lee, give thee the ambrosia." He tossed a tin from his table and she caught it with ease, then slid it in front of me. "Eat this."

"Yes, ma'am," I said. As she examined my side, I glanced down at the table and my stomach growled. "Why hasn't anyone eaten, yet?"

"We're waiting for Sam," Thalia said.

"She's still not here? This is her uncle's restaurant, how is she not here?"

"Do you think I haven't already asked myself that?" Thalia said. "Katie's been stress-eating bread for the past twenty minutes."

"You're all so worried," Annabeth said. "It's starting to make me think she's a monster super-magnet."

"No, Sam can handle herself," I said.

"She's just. . ." Thalia started.

"She's a very special half-blood."

"Well, that's obvious, Percy, but—"

"I do not see how another Daughter of Poseidon is special," Zoë muttered. "Do thou know how many there are?"

Annabeth looked perplexed, "I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Zoe turned to her, pin caught between her teeth, and shrugged.

"Daughter of Poseidon," Zoë said. "This Sam girl, that's what she is." Annabeth tilted her head in my direction. _I thought you said she was—_

"She is," I said aloud. "But Zoë hasn't met her yet."

"But Silena told me," Annabeth paused. "If Silena knows her, then how does Zoë not know?"

"I was brought back after Silena, about a month after," Zoe said. "And I have not met her but I know everything. Get it together, Annabeth, thou are the walking library."

"What's going on?" Annabeth asked. "Why doesn't she know?"

"Oh no," Lee turned around in his chair. "Annabeth, wait a second."

"Are you all keeping a secret from Zoë?" She asked.

"It wasn't easy," Pollux said. "She has impeccable hearing."

"But it's _Zoë."_

"Yeah," Thalia smiled through gritted teeth. "Zoë, the former lieutenant of the goddess of virginity, who held her position for over a thousand years and still is deeply loyal to her."

"Oh," Annabeth said than her eyes widened. "Oh nooo." Then she groaned. "Oh please, you're all being so old-fashioned."

"That's what I said!" Piper exclaimed.

"Even Piper!" Annabeth gestured to her. "That's it I'm telling her."

"Telling me what?" Zoë said. Her cheeks were red and she was glancing around at everyone wildly. "Why have I been being lied to all this time? What, is she somehow miraculously my sister?" The front door swung open, letting in noise from outside that cut off conversation, and a girl walked in; I smiled. She was a few years older than me and the sun glinting behind her lit her hair up red—Sam. Her gaze fell on us before we could even wave her over as if the gravitation was second nature. She wound through the tables with ease and stopped at ours, right behind Annabeth, eyes alight.

"Hi, everyone," Sam said. "I'm sorry I'm late, did you get my signal?"

"Yes!" Katie stood up. "And you really freaked me out!"

"False alarm," Sam said. "I thought I was being followed. I overreacted, sorry."

"Great," I said. "Everyone's safe, no need to talk yet, let's eat!" My gaze flitted to Annabeth, who had her head propped up on her chin. She had her lips pursed, clearly suppressing a laugh. _Don't_ , I said. Her eyes flitted to Zoë, who kept glancing between all of us.

"Daughter of Hestia," Annabeth pointed behind her.

"Yes, I am," Sam said, utterly oblivious, and offered her hand. "You must be Annabeth."

"Daughter of who?" Zoë asked, voice barely a whisper. I dropped my head to the table and I could hear Thalia push her chair back. "Daughter of. . .Daughter. . .of. ."

"Zoë's broken," Clarisse said.

"Can I have her bow?" Lee asked.

 **.**

If it was any other restaurant, we would've been thrown out after we finished eating.

Our conversation went on and on and on, filtering from topic to topic, discussing battle plans, and morphing into the occasional argument. We were loud, irritating, and I wasn't sure whether to be proud or embarrassed. Exchanging information had sobered everyone for a time, Annabeth shifting through mental files on viable older demigods and coming up short, Zoë pondering back on everyone she had ever met and coming up short, Nico checking through thousands of dead half-bloods and, you guessed it, coming up short. No matter how much we thought about it, no one could come to a solid conclusion. As time went on, it did start to seem much more like a trap than the truth.

"If it is a trap, maybe we shouldn't go to the library," Luke said. "Maybe they know."

"If Kronos wanted to _foil our plans_ ," Katie made finger quotations. "He would have already captured us again. Or he would have revealed the island to our parents or a billion other things. We still have to go."

"But—"

"We're going." Everyone said in unison.

"I can't believe that library is still standing. Wasn't it burnt four times?" I asked. Luke shrugged and Annabeth nodded. The debate went on. Our next move was plotted, our next place to sleep decided, all while the window panes shifted from gold to blue and the door was propped open to let in warm, nightly breezes. When bread was chucked from one table to another, I thought we were goners, but it seems Sam's family had endless patience.

"So, your uncle really owns this place?" Annabeth asked.

"Yeah. He loves food and he loves me," Sam shrugged and smiled. "Plus, this is where my parents met and ever since then he's had consistent business for years. Thinks I'm a good luck charm."

"Wait, would your mother check here?"

"No," Sam snorted. "She doesn't really come around much anymore. Trust me, she doesn't even suspect me."

"Well, she's missing out." I butted in. "Big time."

"What a sweetheart," Clarisse cried from the corner, her voice high pitched and whiny.

"At least I can show more emotion than you," I cried back in a similar fashion. She glared at me and probably would've stood if Pollux hadn't had his legs thrown over her lap. The debate went on still. It wasn't until waiters were stacking chairs and some of us were dozing off did I feel a lull in the constant thrum of motion. Sam walked away from us to converse with a timid man in a suit at the front. I rested my head against my palm and felt my eyes grow heavy; the pain from my wound had faded enough to for me to realize how long I'd been awake. A hand rested on my shoulder from behind and Annabeth appeared, her hair falling over her shoulder as she leaned over me.

"Want to go for a stroll?" Annabeth asked. "Just promise me you won't get kidnapped this time."

"Of course," I said and took her hand, letting her lead me out into the quad. It was chill, enough that we gathered closer together for warmth. Night had fallen and the area was clear, spare a few bodies here and there. We strolled a few blocks until we passed a fountain and Annabeth drew closer to it; I pulled her back. "Probably shouldn't go near water for a while."

She lifted a brow and slid her arms around my waist, "It's a filtered water fountain. Not the ocean." I glanced at it and shrugged.

"You can never be too careful." Annabeth's hand grazed against my wound.

"They're not going to find us."

"If Kronos' lackey could, why can't our parents?"

"Because he's toying with us," She said and pulled me to the fountain. Flowers were nestled in holders around it, filling the air with a heavy, sweet scent that made my shoulders sink; I jumped back. "Those are lilacs. That's why you feel relaxed." She sat down on the fountain, hand tight in mine as I stood there. "It's not a spell."

"Are you reading my mind now?" She stared up at me and her eyes widened. I sat down quickly. "I don't mean that in a bad way."

"It's alright, no harm done. I just," She threw her legs over mine. "I know so much more now, and not like before. Some things don't need to be figured out, the answer just is."

"Some things."

"Yes."

"But not everything."

"No, some things will always be a mystery I think."

"Like me?" I offered.

"Well, you would fall under the category of love, and that's not my mother's area." She leaned forward and kissed me. "So, yes, you are a mystery. I almost have it solved though."

"Tell me when you find the answer so I can start packing my bags."

" _Haha_ , very funny." We fell into silence for a while after that, listening to the trickle of the fountain, the ever so often laughter of a passerby. I picked one of the flowers off the stem, hoping a local wouldn't emerge from the shadows to chastise me, and tucked it behind Annabeth's ear. She rolled her eyes before doing the same to me.

"When you say some things," I said eventually. "Would those things include what Big Boots said?" Her head fell back and she groaned.

"You need to come up with a better name." I waited for another response. "Jeez, no it does not, sorry."

" _Damn."_

"Percy, it's a trap. We're walking right into it, unfortunately, but that's all it is." Annabeth rubbed her temples. "I've gone through the facts and figures three times so far. There's no older siblings or dead siblings that could work together well enough to succeed in that. There's definitely enough with the motivation, but the potential. . .that's another story altogether. Or the power! Just because they might be a sibling of yours doesn't mean they can touch you now with your curse and—"

"Okay, okay. I get it," I held up my hands. "But is there any chance a sliver of it could be true?" Annabeth rested a hand against my cheek and smiled; I couldn't tell if her expression held sadness or pity.

"I wish I could help, but I can't convince myself that it's real," She said. "A bunch of older siblings, working with Kronos to destroy our parents? And they're only revealing themselves now? It doesn't add up. It's a lie."

 **.**

CAMP HALF-BLOOD, ON A HILL, IN A CAVE:

The night was aging, moon high, past its peak. Clouds covered the sky, allowing only blinks of light to slip through, leaving the valley in shadow. Campers were asleep, peaceful and unaware, as a wind swept through the area and rustled the grass, the leaves in the trees, the fleece on its branch, the curtain at the mouth of the cave. The Oracle's cave.

Rachel was deep in sleep, nestled in her bed at the back of the cave, limbs wrapped in sheets and curls wild. A windchime hung above her, singing softly, and the fountain across the room hummed, it's gurgling but a lullaby. They went on and on and on, and then they stopped.

Rachel woke, jerked forwards in her bed, a stifled gasp slipping through her lips. Her eyes darted around the space, to her easel and the closet, through the archway, into the sitting room. Nothing, no one. She wrestled her legs out of the covers and stood, tension building in the pit of her stomach. Her fingers wrapped around the dagger on her bedside table and she held it out in front of her, steady and close; just like Annabeth taught her. The fountain and the windchime were still silent, unnerving. She walked out of her bedroom, footsteps soft against the stone, movement ghost-like as she traversed through the area. Back and forth she flitted, eyes darting from corner to corner, behind cabinets, underneath counters, coming up short each time. Her shoulders sagged as she came to the mouth of the cave, yet her fingers kept tight around the dagger. The heavy curtains at the front blew slightly, their white cotton illuminated by the weak moonlight, enough to make out a shadow.

But there was no one there. She was alone.

Rachel sighed and dragged a hand down her face. She moved for the entrance, to sick of restless nights and runaway friends to go back to sleep. Chiron would just have to wake up and listen to her arguments again. The entrance was only a few steps away when a gust of wind blew through the curtains, making them flap open momentarily and chilling her to the bone.

It wasn't the wind that chilled her. There was a woman outside the cave, staring right at her.

She was tall, thin. . .thin to the point of death even, as if she was a rotting corpse. One half of her was charred, bone blackened and skin hanging off her. The other was transparent, glowing faintly, like a shimmer that wasn't even there, her body nothing but mist. Her eyes were empty, nothing to them but hollowed, dark sockets; yet Rachel knew, without a doubt, this woman could see her. The curtains fell back into place, obscuring her from view, but her body left no shadow. The moonlight remained unblemished against the fabric, now a bright, silver circle sitting there as if it had nothing to hide. Wind blew again, harsher this time, pushing the fabric inward against the stone walls; she steeled herself. There was no one there.

She turned on her heel—although every voice in her head was screaming the opposite—and ran back into the cave. Her feet carried her through the front room before something caught her ankle and she sprawled across the floor, dagger skittering out of her palm; her eyes darted back to find the cause and she froze at the sight of a hand, bony and gnarled and blackened just like the woman's side. The hand led to an arm, then a shoulder, then the woman again, rising above her like nightmare incarnate. Somewhere in the back of her mind, scratching at the edges was the woman's name, but it was cloudy, clogged by adrenaline. All Rachel could do was scramble up and keep running. She made it to her bedroom doorway before she was stopped again, blinded by a white light. Two hands clamped down on her arms and she screamed; one of the hands flew to cover her mouth and the light died; she opened her eyes.

A man was left over, blue eyes and black hair and tan skin and she knew his name right away—

"Yes, that's who I am, sweetheart," Heracles said and spun her around so she faced the front room. The woman stood in the middle, but two others were with her now, flanked on either side. "Nice to meet you. Haven't been around an Oracle in quite awhile."

"What do you want?" She managed to spit out as he pushed her ever closer to the trio. The woman kept her eyes pinned on her and slowly, as she stood there, her body warped. Skin regrew and mist solidified, creating a pale woman dressed in layered chiffon; her entire frame phased back and forth, like it wasn't sure if she was dead or alive. The name finally came to her.

"Melinoe," Rachel said. "Lady Melinoe, Goddess of Ghosts."

"Hardly a lady," The goddess replied. She reached her hand out and tipped Rachel's chin up, the contact stung like ice burn. "But thank gods you remembered, I was waiting for the fear to stop clouding your head."

"I'm not scared."

"I'd beg to differ," The person beside her said, stepping closer, and Rachel noticed his features immediately.

"Phobos."

"Smart girl," He said.

"Where's Deimos?" She prodded.

"Occupied," He smiled.

"Interesting," She tried to step away but Heracles still kept her in place. The figure on Melinoe's other side had remained silent but the white wings gave Eros away easily. Her eyes traveled across the three of them, then back over. "Does anyone want to explain the fanatics of this meeting?"

"We'd like to speak to the Oracle," Heracles said and stepped to the side, finally letting her go. "That's all." She glanced towards him.

"Well, the Oracle does not want to speak to you."

"That's fine," Eros jumped in. "We'll wait until you do."

Rachel rolled her eyes, "Listen, Chiron already asked if there was another prophecy and there's not. So, sorry that you had to make this creepy trip down here but there's nothing to tell you." Heracles chuckled and rubbed his chin. It made her uneasy, everything about them did. Many gods and goddesses had visited her during her first year as the Oracle, but never like this, never with strange behavior. A voice at the back of her head was whispering to her, telling her why, telling her an answer she didn't want to hear.

"We're not here to ask questions, darling," Eros said. "We're here for answers. If you tell us, we'll leave and you'll never have to see us again."

"The Oracle doesn't give answers," Rachel's eyes narrowed. "And that's a lie."

"It might take a few tries," Melinoe said. "But sooner or later any Oracle is bound to spit out some version of the truth. We just want to know where the little, runaway demigods are."

"And some other things," Eros shrugged. "Small things."

"I have no idea. Besides, I'm not an arcade machine," Rachel took a step back and Heracles hand shot out, lightning fast, and gripped her arm tighter than before.

"Of course you're not, but we're going to have to make this work one way or another. So, just start talking," Melione said. Rachel tugged herself back, once, then twice, but Heracles grip didn't leave room to budge.

"Why? I'm the _Oracle of Delphi_ , you can't do this!"

"Oh, it won't be that hard," Eros said. He tapped his bow on the floor and the room upturned, tables and chairs and easels flipping, flying. Paints flew and plates shattered. Feathers fell from his wings and morphed into golden leaves as they reached the ground, scattering along the floor like a pathway. For a moment, Heracles eyes glowed, then bright flashes of light traveled through the cave, leaving burn marks along the walls, the floor, the wood. Rachel's eyes widened as she took in the scene, realization bitter on her tongue, prophetic whispers in her ears.

"There it is!" Melinoe cried. "I can tell it's there, right in the front of your mind, I just can't hear a thing." Rachel shook her head and pulled harder, but Heracles spun her around and trapped her in both arms again. She screamed and kicked and managed to elbow him in the nose before he took her serious. He cursed and tightened his grip on her; gold shackles appeared around her wrists.

"You're going to regret this," Rachel spat.

"Not likely," Phobos said. Melinoe snapped her fingers and shadows closed in on them, inky darkness dripping and twirling around them. Rachel kept screaming, kept fighting until the darkness swallowed the world and her along with it.

* * *

another chapter! you all know where we're headed next, so i hope i can get it out as soon as possible. thank you so much for reading and i hope you enjoyed please let me know your thoughts in the comments! reviews are always highly appreciated.

p.s. i wanted to say, to whoever is reading, thank you so much for taking the time out of your days to read what i've written here. i was looking back on when i started this fic due to the new year and wow. .it's been almost close to a decade now. it's been a fic that i hold so close to my heart and since i use it to improve my writing, it's something i will always keep with me. and i'm really thankful for anyone who thought it good enough to read. so thank you.

see you again soon!


	9. Nauma-whatta?

back again! that was quite awhile. before you angrily press the backspace, i do have a second part to this chapter that i will release in a week. and i'm working on the next, _next_ chapter already. the semester is over and i want to get this fic done. see you at the bottom!

* * *

OLYMPIAN THRONE ROOM:

The room was full. Olympians sat in their thrones, advisors stood scattered, guards were stationed, and at the center, before the hearth, stood a goddess in chains. Her chiton blew softly around her, although there was no wind, and its hue kept changing from the blushed pink of a woman's cheek, to the gentle gold from the break of day. If one stared long enough, they might catch stars between the garment's folds. The shawl around her shoulders, its appearance much the same, kept shaking as she held her clasped hands out before her.

"You must listen to me, those children are not to blame," The goddess pleaded.

"You don't know that," Athena said.

"Yes, I do, that's my job. That's all I am, why don't you believe me?"

"Astraea," Athena said. "You have a big heart, bigger than most of us, but you have to admit that their consistent avoidance is a bit suspicious."

"They're scared and alone, with no one to help them," Astrea said, then turned to Zeus, an accusatory finger pointed harshly towards him. "And you keep trying to kill them without giving them a chance!" The god kept silent.

"Astraea, don't," Athena cautioned. "You know why it has to be this way."

"I don't!" She cried. "This issue has never happened, not once. So there's no reason to hunt them like a boar, or—" She thrust out her hands. "—to put me in these chains."

"You're in those chains because you keep shouting to everyone that the traitors are innocent," Zeus said.

"I'm the goddess of innocence," Astraea spat. "I know they're innocent."

"Prove it," He said. "Prove my father, who cannot even form, did that all alone."

"I can't. . .but it's not them." Astraea pressed her fingertips to her forehead. "Things get fuzzy, someone must be tampering with the truth."

Zeus leaned forward, thunder rumbled overhead. "If you can't prove it then you might as well be lying." Artemis sat straighter, glancing between the two.

"Father, please—" She tried but Zeus cut her off with a raise of his hand.

"And if you're lying, you clearly have already chosen which side you're on."

"What?" Astraea asked, eyes flitting around the room. "What do you mean? I'm only telling you the truth."

"Is that so?" Zeus asked. "Then tell me if my words are a lie. Take Astraea to the Underworld, lock her up and keep her there." A murmur rippled through the crowd of bystanders, lords and ladies throwing their gaze to the floor, to the Olympians; faces growing pale, timid, afraid. Astraea froze, yet the slight tremble of her lip ruined her stone-like stance. "I'm waiting for an answer." She did nothing but give a slight shake of the head, and continued to do so until two guards hooked their hands underneath her arms.

It was then her stature crumbled.

"Please," Astraea cried, trying to pull from the guards, chains clinking as they were jostled to and fro. "The Underworld is so far from my domain, please! Don't do this." Tears rimmed her eyes, resembling diamonds more than water; her garment rippled, stars scattering to leave an empty sky. "Keep me here, please, I beg you. Lady Artemis—"

"Father," The goddess stood from her throne. "You can use my quarters as a cell if you must, but I will not let you—" Thunder cracked through the room, loud enough that immortals shouted, covered their ears and ducked.

"Sit back down, now," Zeus said, voice no louder than that of a scholar—and that's what made Artemis pause, swallow, and comply. Astraea watched their exchange, her frame shaking. When no one continued to protest she tried again.

"Lord Apollo, please don't let him do this," She ripped herself from the guards and dropped to her knees. "I will fade down there." Apollo was still in his throne, eyes flitting from her to his father, until finally he sat back with a set jaw and hard eyes; his hands gripped the arms of his throne viciously tight. The goddess, in fear of her fate, curled in on herself and began to sob, worse than before. The guards came up behind her and lifted her by the arms, ready to carry her off until Hades, who had been sitting silent, raised his hand.

"If you would please—"

Zeus cut him off. "Object to her arrest and I will—"

"What?" Hades asked. "Fight me? Arrest me? What are you going to do, throw me in one of my own jail cells?"

"I said not to let him move his throne here," Zeus said.

"We need unity during these times," Hera said, lips tight.

"As I was saying," Hades continued and looked down to the guards. "If you would please escort Astraea outside where Persephone will be waiting. The Underworld might not be well suited to you, but I would never throw you in a cell. You might not feel like yourself, but you won't fade." Astraea could not muster a smile, but her tears halted and she bowed, despite the hands that gripped her. Thunder rumbled again, lowly.

"She will be thrown in a cell or worse," Zeus said.

Hades chuckled and stood, "Don't listen to him." His eyes bore down at the guards. "You're bringing her to my domain, you listen to me."

"Who do you think you—" Before Zeus could finish, Hades wrapped a hand around his armor and they vanished in a cloud of shadows. When the two re-appeared, they were no longer in the throne room, but a lone, empty hallway in the palace. Hades threw his brother against the wall and took a step away, pacing slowly. Outside the world flashed violently, as lightning sparked around the city. "You're going to suffer."

"Empty promises, same as always," Hades muttered. "What are you thinking?"

"If you wouldn't mind elaborating," Zeus said.

"You're scaring them. What are you going to do, lock up the entire pantheon?"

"My own court is not going to betray me in my own city," Zeus yelled, voice echoing off the walls. Hades stopped his pacing, choked on a laugh.

"She'd done nothing. Do rumors terrify you?" In response, Zeus' eyes began to glow; Hades stood his ground. "You seem to be losing your edge, has anything gotten under your skin? Anyone?" In the midst of his anger, Zeus hesitated. His shoulders fell and for the first time, his eyes wandered, looking for an escape. Hades took a breath and stepped further away, "I'll make sure your prisoner is comfortable, in the meantime, don't turn everyone against us. We might need them."

.

PERCY:

"I still can't get over it!" Lee shouted. "The way you charmspoke those cops into letting us go."

"Guilty as charged," Piper held her hands up.

"And how you—" He pointed to Leo. "—hijacked that Vespa." Leo shrugged sheepishly, but Piper bumped his hip, which got him to smile. "And Luke, making yourself look like a fifteen-year-old to steal those keys. That was wicked."

"What can I say?" Luke smiled. "You can get way closer to the pockets of rich adults if you're pretending to be a lost rich kid who can't find his parents."

"You know that's funny seeing how in reality, it's our parents who can't find us," Piper said and everyone cracked up. We were stockpiled on a street corner in Alexandria, Egypt; thankfully, most people probably thought we were tourists, so we hadn't caught much attention. Due to little to no power use, it had taken a little over a week to travel here. Thalia had been in a horrible mood the entire time, irritated at how long it was taking us. I didn't completely understand—

until we had stolen a yacht that I couldn't force to move faster; it was torture. We'd used our powers constantly on the run, but now that the gods were aware of us, the withdrawal was aggravating. It was one thing to keep from using it during Capture the Flag, but to be unable to carry everyone across the Mediterranean left me uncomfortable, irritated….

We were becoming accustomed to the powers.

I shook off the thought to drag myself back to the others. They were still talking, so my eyes drifted elsewhere, around the busy street. That's when I spotted it, up against the wall of a building, a payphone. I stood up straighter, feet ready to move.

"Percy," Nico said and I turned to him. He was shaking his head, he'd already read my thoughts. I cussed. "You really have to get better at that."

"Shut up," I said. Annabeth crossed her arms where she stood.

"What's going on?"

I gestured across the street, "The payphone. I wanted to call her." Annabeth frowned.

"You can't," Thalia jumped in. "It's not safe."

"Come on," Annabeth said. "We got all the way here and we've been fine."

"You-know-who is probably tracking all forms of communication," Thalia said. "You want a better opinion, ask him." She gestured to Luke.

"I could set up a minor block just in case he is." Luke suggested. "Maybe Hazel could use the mist. I think a call would be fine."

Thalia closed her eyes, "Useless."

"Seriously?" I asked. "You can do that?" Both Luke and Hazel shrugged.

"That's simple," Hazel said. "But when it comes to a phone call, I don't think you even need it. I'd only do it if you guys are that worried. We're already shrouding ourselves to begin with."

"I love being backed up," Thalia said. "It's so comforting, you're all wonderful." Annabeth came over to me and looped her arm around mine.

"Come one," She smiled. I kissed her on the cheek.

"I'll be fine walking across the street," I said and pulled away. "I'd rather do this alone." I made my way to the phone, nervousness bubbling in my chest. I fished some spare changed from my pocket, inserted it into the machine, held the phone to my ear, and dialed without hesitation. Then the ringing began and an anchor dropped into my stomach, so heavy that it seemed to rip a hole through it and drop further down into my gut. The world went sideways, my mouth grew dry, I regretted not bringing Annabeth with me, my breath became shallow.

On the other end of the line, someone picked up.

"Hello," It was a woman, it was her. I shouldn't have done this. It would make everything worse. I'd been gone for a long time before, she could handle it better that way. Not knowing is easier. "Hello?" She said again. The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

"Mom." The line was silent for a moment, and then—

"Percy," Her voice shook, tears mingled with it. A bitter taste hit the back of my tongue.

"It's me, Mom. It's Percy, I'm okay and I'm sorry and—"

"Percy," She cried. "What happened? Are you in trouble? Where are you? I'm coming to get you right now."

"You can't come get me." The tone of her voice had put tears in mine.

"Of course I can."

"You can't because I'm not somewhere you can drive to."

Silence, then— "Tell me what's going on. Honey, tell me where you are." I grasped the cold, metal bar of the payphone.

"It's not safe, Mom."

"If it's not safe that means you're not safe, Percy."

"I'm never safe."

"This time is clearly different," She said and something clicked. The gods only found out a few weeks ago, the last time I'd seen her was when we'd returned after our disappearance. She'd made us cookies, we'd talked for hours. Everything was fine, she should have thought I was fine.

"How do you know?"

"Because your father has been here twice asking where's and what's and I don't know how to answer him or what to tell him and sweetheart," Her voice grew tight, panicked. "I will help you, just tell me what's going on."

"You don't have to, I called to—" I fully processed the sentence. "Dad, did what?"

"He's come here twice, both times late into the night, asking about you. I have nothing to tell him and I don't know why he thinks I'm lying, he's a god he might as well just read my mind."

"Late at night?" I asked.

"Yes, and he's dressed in jeans and a jacket. And he always has the hood up. It's all very jolting, he would never dress like this when we used to—"

"No thanks," I held up my hand even though she couldn't see it. "Ew, no. I don't want to know." I pursed my lips. It made no sense, the visits and the clothing. He had fought me just a week ago and yet he was visiting my mother. For what? To interrogate her? My hand gripped the phone tighter. "Mom, don't let him—"

"Percy I can handle your father," She said. "Why was he here in the first place? Does this have to do with you disappearing for months?" I leaned my forehead against the box. Another anchor sank through my stomach, I felt like vomiting.

"There's too much to explain but. . .yes."

She took a deep, steadying breath, "Alright. And about your father?"

"He's there. . .because the Olympians are angry with us."

"Us?" Her voice turned shaky again. "You and Annabeth?"

"Me and a lot of my friends. And Beckendorf, and Zoe Nightshade, and Luke Castellan." The line was silent for awhile, then a small cry slipped through. "Mom, please don't cry." A hand rested on my shoulder and I spun to find Annabeth behind me with a hand on her heart. I realized I'd been sharing with her. "There's no way to tell you all of it right now, but I'm fine, really."

"I don't understand what's happening Percy, please stay safe. The Olympians—is your father mad at you?"

"A little," I recalled the fight again. "A lot, but don't believe him. I haven't done anything I promise. Whatever he says, I didn't do."

"I believe you, Percy," Her voice turned calm, despite the weariness. Like the slow flow of a river. "I will always believe you, sweetheart."

"Okay," I said. Pain spread through my chest suddenly, a horrible realization sparking alive. This might've been the last time I talked to her. Victory wasn't a sure thing, we didn't even know how to get rid of the curse yet. May Castellan flashed in my mind, all alone and waiting; she didn't even know Luke was alive again. I searched for him out of reflex and caught his gaze. His jaw was set, he knew what I was thinking. All my guards were down. "Mom, I think I have to go."

We have time, Annabeth mouthed.

"Alright then," She sniffled. "Please stay safe."

"I will," I bit my lip. "Don't let any of them push you around. I'll find a way to call again. If they do, please tell me." I heard her laugh; it was small, like a bell.

"Nobody pushes me around anymore, Percy. I love you, okay? I love you, I love you."

"I love you too, Mom. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Percy." The line held for one second, then two, then I hung up. The pain in my chest burst like a firework, violent. Explosive. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from breaking down, but my hand was shaking so bad it rattled the frame.

"That was a bad idea," I said. Annabeth shook her head.

"That's exactly what you needed to do. You owed it to her."

"My dad visited her," I said. "Twice."

Annabeth's brows knitted, "What?"

"And I wasn't there," My voice grew pitchy. "Twice. She shouldn't have to deal with this mess." Annabeth took my hands in hers; they were red from how hard I'd been gripping the phone box.

"She didn't say anything. . .bad, right?"

"No, no one hurt her," I said.

"Then you've got nothing to worry about. At least for now. Sally's tough Percy, she can handle it." Someone shouted and we turned to see Jason waving us over. Annabeth tucked herself into my side, almost as if she thought I might collapse, and we walked over. "Your dad might annoy her, but he wouldn't let anything happen to her."

"So where are we headed?" Thalia asked, looking at Luke.

"That way," He pointed down the street.

Annabeth pointed behind her, "But the Library of Alexandria is along the coast."

"The new one," Luke said. Annabeth squinted, looking irritated.

"Yes, most ancient places have fused with modern amenities. Olympus, the Lotus Casino. If the library is still in Egypt the most sensible place would be to hide within the new library."

"But what if someone tried to burn it down again," Luke shrugged. "It's best to hide it." Suddenly, Katie slapped a palm against her forehead.

"He's keeping something from us still," She said. "Holy Dem—dammit, don't say it."

Luke raised his hands in surrender. "Before anyone tries to kill me, I am telling the truth. It is in Egypt and it is extremely dangerous. And the Olympians barely ever go there, like I told you before we left."

"Then where is it?" Thalia asked.

"It's in the desert," He said. Thalia pursed her lips, shook her head, and remained silent.

"Where in the desert?" I asked.

"In the general vicinity of the Nile," He said.

"General vicinity?" Annabeth asked.

"The Nile is four thousand miles long," Nico said.

"I'm so glad I brought sunglasses," Silena said and riffled through her backpack, then gasped a moment later. "Oh no, they're gone." Next to her, Lee was grinning, sunglasses on.

"Got 'em, babe."

.

We were walking for about a day and half before something happened.

The heat was unbearable and we'd been walking ever since sunrise, with the Nile on one side and sand on the other. Plants were lined up along the water, stalks of green and purple bulbs. Every now and again the shrubbery around us would thicken. There'd be clusters of palm trees, with bushels of red hanging from their leaves, the buzzing of insects, grass up to our thighs, and cool breezes underneath the shade of branches, but it never lasted long. Yesterday we'd spent walking through cities, moving from to the other without realizing we were doing it. Somehow, yesterday was better. The sand was tiring, the heat was tiring, and we were going off Annabeth's sense alone. The area had grown barren. Again, I glanced at the river, large and empty.

"Not a good idea," Nico said as he walked up to me.

"Shut up," I groaned. "I can't help it." Our steps fell in sync as we trudged through the sand. I noticed Annabeth up ahead, walking beside Silena. She glanced back towards me and smiled; I waved. "How are you so calm?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're not even a little tempted right now? You don't have an itch?"

Nico smiled, "Well, as you can see there aren't that many shadows around so I'm shit out of luck." He glanced towards the sun and his eyes squinted. "I don't know. I think of it as something to control, not something that controls me."

"Real philosophical."

"Big word. Annabeth teach you that?"

"Yeah, she also taught me how to shove my foot up your ass," I shoved him lightly and he laughed. There was a pause and then, "Hey, remember how you told me people could have helped Kronos bring Luke back?"

"Shut up," Nico groaned. "You won't stop with this traitorous demigods thing."

"I don't think Big Boots is lying," I said.

"Okay, but it's not going to do anything anyway," Nico said. "Great, if it's true now we know that the traitorous demigods are the same ones who helped Kronos revive Luke. That doesn't give us any clues."

"The heat is making you cranky." He was the one to shove me this time around. "Alright, I'll shut up." Suddenly, caws filled the air, their echo stretching across the river. The birds along the water and hiding amongst the plants took off in unison, crying out to another, their feathers sounding like applause. The ground started to vibrate.

"Luke!" Clarisse yelled.

"I don't know what this is!" Luke said. Sand began to shake at our feet, millions of vibrating dots puffing up into the air or cascading down the hills. Everyone moved closer together, but it did no good; we were scattered to far and the ground was moving to harshly to keep ourselves up. In the near distance, something rose from the sand that made my heart stop. It was large, beige and bright, and it's roof slanted upwards from both sides—Greek architecture.

"Annabeth!" I yelled and pointed towards it. She followed my hand only to look back, face filled with worry, and point straight behind me. I spun to find an identical fixture rising up, mirroring the first. They were far apart from each other, farther than I could measure. Thalia shouted and we turned in her direction, she was pointing towards another building that was rising up, just as far as the others, but this one was larger, wider, with more pillars. The shaking had turned into a rumbling, deep and unsettling; it sounded like rocks rubbing against one another.

"Did we find it?" Katie screamed over the sound. Luke was shaking his head, uncertain and nervous, looking even more worried than Annabeth. "Than what could this b—" Something else rose that made Katie stop. It was stone, following the buildings slowly, in one straight line across, and rose higher with each passing second, circling around us, enclosing us, trapping us. "Oh, shit."

"We're in trouble," Nico muttered from beside me.

"A stadium," Clarisse yelled. "Weapons out!" Swords and shields were taken in hand, but something felt off, something wasn't right. Another burst came forth and we all spun in its direction. Two spires were connected to the ring and they breached on the brink of the Nile, forming an open gateway. "Run for it!"

That's when my gut twisted.

"Stop!" I yelled and everyone paused.

"This is a trap, Jackson!" Clarisse said.

"There's water!"

"Percy, what are you talking about?" Annabeth said. Her hair flew wildly around her and she had her dagger in hand; the space between us felt infinite.

"There's water underneath us!" I said and watched her eyes ring with silver. They darted around and she spun and somehow, I knew she figured it out.

"Naumachia!" Annabeth shouted and Clarisse cussed beside her. The ground shook even worse than before, some of us were thrown off our feet. Around us the stadium rose faster, grew louder. Marble stands appeared and cheers became audible, but they were still so far away. No stadium should've been this big, they had to see their fighters, didn't they?

"Nauma-whatta?" I asked.

"Naumachia!" Annabeth repeated. "It's a naval battle. Ancient Romans put them on for entertainment."

"Oh, no!" Jason yelled. "Wait, Percy, you said there was water underneath us?" The largest building was half away out at this point, banners flying down and sanding spilling off the roof. My gut twisted even worse than before; I could feel water, weapons, wooden masses. . .ships.

"There's more than just water now!"

Jason cussed, "We're in the middle of the basin! We have to get out of the way or else we're gonna get hit!"

"With what?" Clarisse asked. "Should we duck or roll?"

"Water!" Jason said and suddenly the spires cracked, but the marble didn't crumble, they didn't even break. No, the ground around them cracked and the Nile—it rushed in towards us with a merciless rage. I tried to hold it back but the water was resilient, unwavering; it didn't listen to me. The world stopped for a moment, as I watched it crashed into Pollux then Zoë then Annabeth, and then it was coming straight for me. The roar reached me before the water did. I grabbed Nico's arm at the last moment, then we went sprawling, completely submersed in the water. We spun and spun, but I found my bearings quick enough and pulled us upwards.

Nico sputtered as we surfaced.

"You know, in all the months on the run, you could have learned to swim better," I said.

"Oh, bite me," Nico said. The sun glared down on us, bathing the entire world in a bright white. We floated idly, the upset water dousing us in waves. Thankfully, we weren't floating for long. Another roar came from below us and a ship appeared rising from the water. It caught us, putting a solid surface underneath our feet, and rocked wildly back and forth. Sails dropped down, blocking out the sun and slowly, it found balance, coming to a stop. I looked around and what I found did not disappoint.

The stadium was huge, now fully revealed, with rows upon rows of stone bleachers filled with people, all dressed in togas. They were shouting, hands waving in the air, but their figures shimmered, as if they weren't really there; they looked solid until you stared at them directly. In the basin, where we were, there were several ships, not just ours. They were large enough to sail, lean and low to the water, but not enough to crash up against one another; instead of two masts, they all had one. Large banners hung around the stadium, all a deep, rich purple. At the biggest fixture, there was a row of stone thrones and in the center, a man was sitting, smiling, raising his glass; his toga was the same color as the banners and the laurels on his head, were gold.

I knew his face, I'd seen it in every single classics textbook at camp, but the name escaped me. He stood, waved his hand, and the crowd gave it to me.

"All hail Julius Caesar!"

"Oh gods," Zoë groaned and I whipped around. She was on our ship, near the wheel. "Not him, literally anyone but him."

"Why?" Nico asked.

"He's more self-involved than Narcissus," She said.

"Isn't that like. . .not possible?" Nico said.

"Oh just thou wait and see," Zoë said. "He's irritating and arrogant and—"

"Zoë!" Caesar shouted and a hush ran over the stadium. "Zoë Nightshade, what a surprise!" Zoë didn't respond, but Jason did. He was on another ship, with Piper, Thalia, Beckendorf, Katie, and Sam.

"Why did you trap us?" Jason yelled, his spear was out, it's gold shining brighter than Caesar's laurels. "Are our parents here?"

"Your parents?" Caesar asked and he gazed at us, stepped forwards and squinted. Then his eyes widened and his smile grew ever bigger. "My subjects, this battle is going to be a treat. You're the ones aren't you? The ones who have your parent's power. The traitors!"

"Guess we kind of just gave ourselves away there," Nico sighed.

"We're not traitors. We did nothing!" Annabeth yelled. I whipped around to find her on another ship, with Clarisse, Silena, Frank, Luke, and Lee. "Let us go or we'll make you let us go!"

"That's what I'm hoping for!" Caesar yelled and extended his arms out, gesturing to the stadium. "You want to leave? Win the battle and you gain your freedom!"

"What makes you think we'll fight?" Jason asked. "We could phase out of here right now."

Caesar stared down at Jason and then his smile closed, turning to a grin. He returned to his chair, grabbed his chalice, and held it out towards Jason, "Son of Jupiter!" He shouted out and the entire stadium gasped; Jason grimaced. "It was my mistake to not realize who you all were at first, but now that I do know, let's not do anything that would cause me to bring attention to your whereabouts to anyone other than the company in this stadium."

Clarisse cussed, "Fine! Who are we fighting? Each other?"

Caesar perked up again, "My soldiers, of course! They're all dead, so they just keep coming back, ha! This could last hours with the amount of power you all hold!"

He's right, Annabeth thought to us. We need to do something that will get him to stop.

You just heard what he said, Jason replied. He'll reveal our location.

Something that will even stop him from that, Annabeth said.

Let's figure that out later, Clarisse said. Look at the other side of the basin.

There were another three ships across from us and each of them were filled with soldiers. All of them shimmered the same way the audience did. They were covered in armor, they had weapons in their hands, and they were screaming bloody murder at us even though no one had started to move. I turned to Nico.

"Jeez, what are those things?"

"Lemures, Lares," Hazel answered as she came down the small staircase of the ship. I did a quick spin to find Leo and Pollux also with us. "It really depends, they could just be basic ghosts. Everyone here must be a spirit connected with either Caesar or Rome, but that's kind of irrelevant. The important part is that Caesar's right, they can't be killed."

"But you two can kill them," I pointed to Hazel and Nico. "That's what you do, that's your whole thing." Hazel put her hands on her hips and stared at me, deadpanned.

"Do you expect Nico and I to kill, what looks like a hundred undead soldiers, alone?"

"No, we can distract some of them."

That's pointless, we need to reserve our energy, Annabeth said. We need Caeser to stop the entire thing. Suddenly, all our ships lurched forward and I turned. The soldier's ships were moving steadily towards us at the same speed.

"Well, that's great," I said and gripped Riptide tighter. "In the meantime, I'll start the distracting." I ran for the side of the ship, and hauled myself over the edge when—

"Percy, no!" Annabeth screamed and I saw what she meant just before I let go of the railing. Below me, in the water, were three giant crocodiles with their jaws wide open. I shouted and hauled myself back onto the ship in one swoop. "The Nile has crocodiles!"

Caesar's laugh echoed through the stadium, as if he was on speaker, "Oh no! The son of Poseidon can't get into the water, such terrible luck!" I fumed.

"Oh piss off," There was a tug in my gut. "Everyone hold on!" The water beneath us churned and our ship's sped forwards, faster than the others, the current following my course.

"Don't do what I think you're doing," Nico said. "We need our ship." I glanced at him and he raised his eyebrows as if to say, 'Listen to me.'

"Fine," I said, then jumped atop the railing and grabbed the ropes to hang off the side of the ship. Thalia, you all better brace for impact. I could hear her cuss from her ship. With a sweep of my hand, the water took them to the head of our triad and further, sailing to meet the first enemy ship. With a crack, the ships collided, sliding up against one another, and chaos ensued. Swords clanged and lightning light up the stadium.

Percy, what was that! Annabeth shouted.

"Wow, I didn't know you could yell in our heads," I muttered and jumped off the railing.

Zoë slapped me upside the head, "She's right. Pull us all forwards."

"No, we need that distraction," Nico said, then pointed to Caesar, who was to enthralled in the fight to notice. "I have to get up there." At his words, I glanced up towards Caesar myself, and for the first time noticed the beefy guards surrounding him.

"You're going to fight Caesar?" Zoë asked.

"You're going to fight the meat slabs with meter long shoulder spans?" I asked.

"We're going to fight Caesar," Hazel said. "I'm not letting you go up there alone."

Nico sighed, but unsheathed his sword, I need to get up there and threaten his livelihood. If Hazel or I kill him, he wouldn't even be around to tell our parents we're here. "Got that?" The ship had reached a corner of the stadium and I commanded it to turn; during our discussion, one of the enemy ships had started gaining on us. "Bring us around to Caesar's side."

We'll get that ship off of you, Annabeth said, although they had one chasing them.

You'll be swallowed by two ships, I said.

Not if one sinks, Frank piped up, then the crowd screamed. On their ship, against the railing, Frank transformed, his body morphing wider, greener, larger, until he toppled into the water as a gigantic crocodile. Jason, now floating high in the center of the stadium, shouted.

"What the fuck!"

"Ditto!" Leo said. "Frank, can do that?"

"Of course he can," Hazel smiled. "Transforming is the least of his worries with this whole curse business, that's why he didn't mention it." Another crack sounded off and the ship behind them collapsed, a sitting duck in the water. The next moment, crocodiles surrounded it, chomping down on wailing, skeleton soldiers. Caesar didn't seem to mind, his laugh rang out around us.

"Go!" Annabeth yelled as her ship rear-ended the one that had been following us. We took off, the ship moving swiftly around the rest of the bend and circling towards Caesar's side. Zoë notched an arrow and let it fly; it sailed straight through a soldier's skull, one that was about to hit Thalia.

"We need to pretend that we're sailing over there to help them," Zoë said.

"Taken care of!" Leo said. He grabbed at the air, almost as if he was reaching into something, and a metal pack materialized in his hands. He slung it over his back and clipped it together, then grabbed Pollux. Together they flew into the air and over to Thalia's ship; it was a jetpack.

"Him and Beckendorf are so holding out on us," I said.

"Agreed," Everyone chorused. We were getting closer to Caesar now, enough to swim for the edge. Zoë ran to the wheel and pulled us away, towards the ship, towards the center.

"I'm coming. I'll get us all over there," I said. Hazel and Nico nodded.

"Go now!" Zoë yelled. Together all three of us ran across the ship and jumped over the railing. I made the water shift beneath us, and when we hit it, instead of sinking, it propelled us upwards, up to Caesar's balcony. We landed right in front of him. He stared at us, then gestured behind us.

"The fight isn't over yet, traitors," He said. "Keep going!"

"It's either over or your over," Nico spun his sword and it glowed against the heavy sunlight. The gold in Hazel's eyes grew, until the iris disappeared. I shivered, ghost's still gave me the heebie jeebies, no matter how fun shadow travel was; I uncapped Riptide. Caesar looked us over and apparently, caught up.

"Someone get an iris message up and strike these three down." The guards around him charged at us; it was eight against three. I grabbed the arm of the guard nearest to me and spun him around, then kicked the back of his knee and he dropped. Another guard charged towards me and I ducked as he thrust his spear at me, only for it to sail over me and then over the shoulder of the guard still kneeling. I took hold of his spear and pulled him closer, using the leverage to shove my sword through his ribcage; instead of exploding into dust, he dispersed into mist. Behind me, the guard roared, but before he could get up I spun around and slashed down his back; he too turned to mist. Nico had his sword crossed with one guard—the weaponry remains of another at his feet—to the point where the guard was looming over him. Hazel jumped onto the man's back, propelling herself over Caesar's throne and onto another guard. With a yell, Nico spun underneath the weapon, and shoved his sword through the man's chest. Unlike mine, this guard wailed and fell to the floor, turning to ash. Caesar cursed and Nico spun on him. I saw the last guard charge for him and threw my sword across the small area, pinning him to a marble pillar until he disappeared. Caesar tried to run, but Nico shoved him back down and Hazel came from behind, throwing an arm around his throat. In her hand, she held a black dagger, it hovered just above his skin.

Nico leveled his sword, "Don't move."

Caesar glanced between the two of them, "I can tell the Olympians, right now."

Hazel smiled, "You're not going to want to do that." She scraped her dagger against his jaw. "This dagger? Plain obsidian. But me? Recently, I've come across some power that makes me rather temperamental around ghosts." She pointed to Nico. "If he's Hades, who could I be?"

"I get the picture," Caesar spat.

"Imagine what we could do to you," Nico said. "You'd never come back. You might stay in Tartarus forever. In fact, we could make that a definite." Caesar held up his hands.

"I understand. I understand! What do you want from me?"

"We beat your soldiers this time and that's the only time. We're done and we want to leave."

"Yes, of course. Whatever you want." More guards ran out onto the balcony and surrounded us, but Hazel pressed the dagger tighter to Caesar's throat. "Don't attack them!" His voice sounded off like a loudspeaker again. "The fight is over! The traitor's have won!" Despite our threats, the crowd cheered for us, standing and applauding and waving cloth back and forth.

I laughed, "They're pretty enthusiastic for the opposing team." Caesar grunted and rubbed at his neck as Hazel moved away.

"Yes, well, they've got nothing else to do for the rest of eternity."

The ships repaired themselves, as if a giant reset button had been pressed, and they carried everyone over to us. In mere minutes, we were all standing around Caesar in a crescent. He took his time looking at each one of us, his new guards taking their place at his side. "You are all in very big trouble."

"Tell us something we don't know," Clarisse said.

"I'm very interested in your motives," He said, then smiled. "I don't particularly have beef with the Olympians, but rebellion is a fun topic. Care to tell?"

"There are no motives. We were kidnapped," Nico said. "Can we leave now?" Despite being threatened, Caesar didn't comply. He stood.

"Rebels, look around you. This is no ordinary stadium. I've got everything here to satisfy any emperor's desire. I would assume you're in need of some rest, food," He looked us over. "A decent shower." I glanced at Nico, who shrugged in disbelief. Then I looked at Jason, he rose a brow.

"You're the Roman expert," I said and Jason groaned. Is he going to betray us?

"So, you expect us to trust you?" Jason asked. His gaze shifted as he looked at Caesar. Intense, dark, almost violent; threatening. Caesar mimicked it, but he looked like a fox; sly.

"Do you see your parents?" Caesar gestured around. "Put a little trust in me, I put a little trust in you not to tattle on my festivities."

"We have no one to tattle to," Annabeth said. "And you just threatened to tell them yourself."

Caesar sighed, "None of you know how to defend yourself, pathetic. I mean if the opportunity ever arises to rat me out. . .don't," He waved to a guard to his left. "Escort these lovely, little rebels to the chambers below. They look disgusting." Everyone radiated different forms of anger and only followed the guard after Zoë slung her bow over her shoulder and led the way herself.

* * *

hi! i hope you enjoyed and thank you so much for reading xxxx

what did you think? and also i have a general question, do you like the length of the chapters? do i get to things quickly enough? should everything stay the way it is? as always, i'm using this fic to better my writing skills and if you'd like, i'd love ur feedback. oh and one last thing, has anyone else read the burning maze because i am. . .devestated.

see you soon!


	10. Nauma-whatta PT II

hiya! here's the next part of "nauma-whatta?", i hope you enjoy!

* * *

PERCY:

Caesar knew how to treat his guests, I'd give him that.

He might've been the most hospitable ancient I'd ever met. Ancient. . .immortal ghost senator. . .man? The logistics were confusing, but he was nice, even though he kept bringing up his stab wounds to much. Jason, Hazel, and Frank collectively had begun to look like they were sharing a migraine. The stadium had rooms at its floor levels, giant spaces filled with areas to lounge around and drink and eat and whatever else the ancient Romans did. Caesar gave us food, access to showers, more food—it was everything an exiled demigod could ask for.

I was lounging on a couch, clean and full and tired and it occurred to me he was the first person who took our word for truth. Or maybe he didn't care. Either way it rocked. The rooms led outside through big, open archways, revealing gardens filled to the brim with shrubbery and decorative waterways. I watched it all from my spot on the couch, letting the gentle bend of the palms bring me to a lull.

"Percy, are you awake," Annabeth said leaning over the back side of the couch so her face hovered over mine. "Caesar wants to show me his battle plans for upcoming shows, he wants my 'Athenian expertise' as he puts it."

"Yeah," I said. "I'll be here when you get back, have fun." She smiled, pecked me on the cheek, and then disappeared. I settled into the couch, ready to konk out.

"Aww, cuties," Nico teased from the couch across from me.

"Aww, cooties," I heard Katie call from farther away.

"Looosers," I teased back.

 **.**

The world was tilted. I was walking down a tunnel, the floor firmly underneath my feet and yet, it was tilted. The hairs at the back of my neck stood on end; I knew I was dreaming, but it was a strange type of dream. An eerie ringing echoed through the tunnel, a loneliness. It was my dream, but nothing felt like it belonged to me.

I kept walking until the tunnel opened up to a building, pillars large and sparse, revealing a stark, night sky. Across the floor, on the other side of the building, there was an altar and kneeling in front of it, was a mist of green. It solidified from a mist to a woman. Her body twisted around and the moment her eyes landed on me, the world righted itself. She stood still for a moment, then bolted towards me, too quick for me to react; she grabbed me by my shirt.

"Help her," The woman cried. "They'll kill her! I _need_ her."

"What are you talking about?" I said, trying to pry her hands away. "Who?"

Tears streaked her cheeks, "I don't want to be stuck in a dead body again and she is so _good_ , you can't let them kill her." Her words froze me. _Dead body._

"Wait. . .Rachel?" I said and the woman smiled.

"Her name," She laughed. "You can remember her name."

"You. . .can't? Are you the Oracle?" I asked. Her hands fell from my shirt and she looked me up and down.

"Yes, but I don't—" She pressed a hand to her chest. "Everything has gone fuzzy."

"Fuzzy? You're the Oracle, things aren't fuzzy to you. They're fuzzy to me." I took a step back and glanced around. Around the building were meadows, large and empty and silent in the night. If this was night. The Oracle fell back into her panic.

"It feels as if the world is falling to pieces. Whatever future I see seems wrong, like it's being tampered with. Please! You have to help Rachel, they have her now."

"Who?"

"The traitors."

"Traitors. . ." Adrenaline spiked in my throat but I swallowed it down and spoke slowly. "You mean. . . older demigods, maybe a sibling of mine?" The Oracle slapped a hand over my mouth.

"Don't speak of them in detail they're always listening they might hea—" Thunder echoed around us, not nearly here, not nearly gone, but it seemed to be enough for her. "Oh no. Get out of here, go." She shoved me back. I looked around to find something that would scare her, and there turned out to be many. Several figures cloaked in shadow coming from one direction or another.

"What the—"

"Leave! Go find her, leave!" The Oracle shoved me again and this time I fell back, straight through the floor, and kept falling.

I woke with a start.

The world was dark, still nighttime. I flung myself forward and another body rose with me. Annabeth placed a hand on my shoulder, worry in her eyes. "I'm fine, I'm totally fine."

"Did you. . ."

"Have a dream? Yeah."

"And?"

I angled myself towards her, "There was a woman there, I think she was the Oracle."

Annabeth's brows furrowed, "Rachel?"

"No, the Oracle, she looked like green smoke."

Annabeth wanted to say something, but she stopped short and her mouth hung wide, so she looked kind of like a fish. Then, she pointed to herself, "I. . .I had a dream just like that."

"You're kidding."

"No, I'm not. I had one of the Oracle and she was made of green smoke and she was crying that we needed to—"

"Help her," I finished.

"And we're helping. . ."

"Rachel," I said. "That's what I said. I said 'Rachel' and the Oracle said yes." Annabeth closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead.

"This is too much. In my dream the Oracle said they were going to take her, who's they?"

"They are those older siblings and they have her now. The Oracle said they might kill her. They want to kill our _parents_ and now they have _Rachel_ and she might _die_ and it's going to be because of _us_ and—"

"Percy!" Annabeth hushed. She held my face in her hands. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Don't let him get inside your head," Her eyes, highlighted by the moonlight that filtered in from the archways, were grounding. "Stop blaming yourself. He wants you to do that, he _wants_ you on the fritz. Once we're done with the library, we'll find Rachel. I'd leave to find her right now but you know we can't. She has trained with us, she's a good fighter, she'll be okay," She mustered a smile. "Don't tear yourself down for him."

"I feel a thousand years old, Annabeth. And I'm not even twenty, it's not fair."

"No, it's not," Her hands slipped away. There was a pause. _Can I see it again?_

I smiled, _Why do you like it so much?_

 _That's not the answer to the question I asked._

I rolled my eyes, but shrugged my feet off the couch and slipped my shirt over my head. Her legs slipped to either side of me and her fingers started to trace over my right shoulder blade. Down, up and over, tracing every line, every inch. Over the swirling waves that surrounded the trident that made up my mark; I didn't need to look at it anymore, I had every part of it memorized. It was big, bigger than most of the marks and it had taken forever; I pushed that thought away. Her fingertips were down towards the base of the waves when I felt another touch, lighter and joined with the slightest air.

"Did you just kiss my mark?" I whispered.

"Yes," She said and did it again.

"Why?"

"Because it's gorgeous," She wrapped her arms around me. "It reminds me of you."

"I sure hope it does seeing as it's inked on my body."

"It's not just gorgeous though. It's strong, impressive," She pulled me backward to rest against her, head leaning back against her shoulder. "Regal, powerful." I turned my head to look up at her.

"Don't flatter me," I pressed a kiss to her jawline.

"I'm not," She looked down at me, curls falling over her shoulder. A pressure had built up in my chest, heavy and warm; I took her arm in my hand and ran my fingers over her mark.

"Look at this. Elegant, intricate, stunning, absolutely one of a kind," I pulled her arm up to my lips so I could return her kiss. "Intelligent, a godde—"

"I wouldn't risk calling me that," She was smiling into my hair. I adjusted myself so I was facing her.

"I thought I was describing the mark."

She laughed, then fell silent and we lapsed into a staring contest, our eyes searched one another again and again. Her hand pressed against my sternum, "Do you feel that too?" I nodded. "What is it?"

"I don't know," My voice came out gruff, barely there and I groaned inwardly. "I know I don't mind it."

"Neither do I." She yawned then and leaned her head on her shoulder, still looking at me. I grabbed her hand from my chest and held it in mine. "Let's go back to sleep."

.

The second time that I was ripped from sleep that night was not as pleasant.

The world was a blur, the air damp on my skin or rather, it was my skin that was damp. Soaked, drenched in my own sweat, shirt clinging to my back. I stumbled to the bathroom, no clue how I made it there. The dream was coming back to me already. Hot, burning hot, acid burning flesh, putrid stench, a cruel laugh. No one was coming to save me. I was choking on the fumes, I was stuck there forever.

The cold ceramic of the toilet bowl underneath my hands was a welcome feeling as I leaned over the edge and heaved up all the food Caesar had given us.

Luke was there by the time I was done. He found me clinging to the bowl.

"Jackson," He started, fully alert and analyzing. As always. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," The smell of sulfur snaked its way into my nostrils again. "Oh, fuck."

He took a few steps closer, "Let me help you."

"Don't," I croaked. "Just. . .get Nico or, or—" I heaved again; part of me was curious as to what could possibly be left. Luke didn't have to get anyone. Someone walked in.

"Percy," Nico said, softly at first and then, "Percy!"

"What's going on?" Luke asked. Nico was already closer to me, so he spun on him.

"Not the time, Luke. If you want to act like a saint, wake up Sam." Luke glanced between us and then disappeared. "Here get up."

"I'd like to sit here and wallow if you don't mind," I said. Nico's hands were snaking underneath my arms regardless. "Did I wake her?"

"No, she's still sleeping."

With his help, I made it to the sink. "I need water."

"Sure thing," He caught my eyes in the mirror before he left. "Percy, breathe." Then he said offhandedly, "Remember, first it's you then it's Thalia then it's Katie."

"Real nice," I washed my mouth out. Thoroughly. Sam was there, when I surfaced, standing in the doorway like some _holy savior._

"Oh you're so sweet," She hummed and walked over. Her hand pressed between my shoulder blades and comfort washed over me, seeping into my nerve-endings. The soreness in my throat vanished, the uneasiness in my stomach gone. An image came to mind: it was months ago, we were on the run, it was morning and we were eating breakfast. Just a bunch of teenagers sitting on sleeping bags amidst the morning chill, eating cereal; I smiled. She exhaled, "You have to talk about this."

"Leave it alone, Sam."

"I won't," She crossed her arms. "This isn't good. We talk to one another, why can't you?"

"Thalia doesn't."

"She doesn't to _you_ ," She said. "But _unlike_ you, if I press her enough she'll spill. You won't say anything to anyone."

"I don't like thinking about it."

Sam laughed, "And like I do?"

"You're still just as fucked up as I am about it," I turned on her. "Why can't you let it go?" Slowly, Sam's eyes began to glisten and she pursed her lips in a smile.

"Yeah, I am, but if I don't talk to you guys eventually it just feels like I'm drowning. And demigods that are drowning can't save anyone." She wiped at her eyes. "Let me go get Nico." I huffed and rested against the sink, then a moment later, slid down to the floor. Sam didn't leave; she slid down next to me. We sat in silence for awhile, then Nico came back, with a water pitcher and a glass.

"You're kidding?" I asked, but took both from him. He shrugged and sat down on my other side.

"Caesar does everything in excess."

After the pitcher was half empty, Sam spoke up.

"You think it still affects them?" She looked at us. "Why they're so angry? Why they fight all the time?"

"Our parents?" Nico asked. Sam nodded. "I don't know. If it is, then they need counseling."

"I'm going to go back to sleep," Sam stood, but I grabbed her hand.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm an ass."

"No, you're not," She ruffled my hair, then left. Nico took the pitcher and drank from it.

"She's too nice," He said. "So, you want to talk about it?"

I groaned, "If Sam, with her mother's power, can't get me to talk, what makes you think you can?"

"I don't, but I like to ask," He yawned. I closed my eyes. The buzz of night—bugs, fountains—could still be heard from the bathroom.

"I had a dream, about the Oracle. She said there are older siblings and they have Rachel."

Nico was silent for a very long time. "Shit."

 **.**

SOMEPLACE, SOMEWHERE:

Rachel blinked once, then twice, then realized she was waking up.

Then she bolted upright. Her breathing quickened, her mouth was dry like she'd drank a glass of cotton balls before she'd went to bed; the urge to cough washed over her but she swallowed it all back down. She took in her surroundings, a furnished bedroom, white walls, marble floors, sleek decor; unnerving. For a moment, her hands glided over the sheets beneath her, then she scrambled off the bed and patted herself down, hurrying over to a mirror in the corner in a panicked frenzy. No cuts, no bruises, just her—in jeans, boots, and a white blouse. She grimaced at the thought of them switching her clothes, but it could have been worse, much worse. At the thought she gasped, hands flying to her head, no need to retrieve her memories. They were still crystal clear.

The cave, the gods, the vision. _A battle to end all feuds, a battle to end an era_ , that voice in her head had whispered, spinning out images before her like a spool of thread. It felt as if a thousand vases would shatter around her, create a never-ending stream of ceramic screaming, and if it ever ended, there'd be nothing left to do but lie amongst the pieces, the dust. Rachel steadied herself and rushed to the door, she had to escape and find Percy. No, escape and tell the gods; she was their Oracle and she had proof, they'd have to listen to her.

Rachel listened for a moment, listened to absolutely nothing. Not a whisper or a shuffle, not even the white noise of pipes or the hum of a fridge. A pin could have dropped and she would have heard it.

It didn't reassure her, but she tried to open the door anyway. The handle bent underneath her palm with ease and she slipped into the hall, closing the door behind her. The hall was much the same as the room, white marble and white walls, with silver decorations placed here and there. If the color scheme had been different, the high-end style would've reminded her of her own home. She shuddered and moved down the hall onto an overhang, which flowed into a large, open room filled with window walls and furniture and more marble. Rachel looked down on it, eyeing the winding staircase to her side; there was no one around.

There had to be no one there at all.

And the big glass door—her exit—across the room, was practically taunting her.

Rachel moved swiftly, descending the stairs on the balls of her feet, practically sliding across the floor so the heels of her boots would not click, and when she was there, with both hands on the large, twisted handles, a voice came from behind her, "What the _hell_ are you doing?"

Rachel ignored whoever was there and pulled on the doors, but they only shook as she jangled them back and forth. She tried again, making the metal of the locks clang against each other. When it was obvious they weren't going to budge, she spun around to face her captor. It wasn't Phobos there, sitting at the island—oh look, it was fucking _marble_ —with a magazine in hand, nor was it Melinoe, Eros, or Heracles. She had golden curls cascading down her back, with bright blue eyes like a summer's sky. Her clothes, which were of the Fabletics variety, didn't seem to match her beauty, but they did match her expression: bored, humored, calculating, all at the same time. The magazine in her hands had big, swirling script on the cover, which read _Medea Monthly._

Rachel did not like the woman.

"I'm leaving," Rachel replied, hoping her voice sounded strong enough. The woman snorted and went back to flipping through her magazine. "I mean it, I'm leaving right now."

The woman sighed and waved her hand, "Alright, open the doors."

"You know that won't work," Rachel said.

She shrugged, "Pity." Silence fell between them as the woman resumed her reading and a nervousness spread through Rachel. This woman wasn't like any of the gods she'd interacted with before, she didn't seem to care for games or taunting or jokes. Maybe there was a reason for that.

Rachel took a deep breath, "Who are you?" The woman paused and glanced up at her.

"You know me, you've just never met me."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I don't have to answer your question."

"You kidnapped me."

The woman threw her magazine down on the counter and stood up, "My _husband_ kidnapped you, there's a difference." An alarm went off in Rachel's head.

"Your husband is Heracles?" She asked. "So, you're Megara? Or are you Deianira?"

The woman held up a finger, "Don't mention that half-baked, self-conscious human ever again. I didn't even know him back them but gods, who let's themselves be fooled by a river spirit? Pathetic."

Rachel held up her hands, "So. . .Megara?"

The woman groaned as if she didn't want to be bothered. "Helen, you stupid oracle. Helen." Time passed unnaturally slowly in those next few seconds, as Rachel pieced things together. She knew who Helen was and she knew what the Oracle knew, she could hear the screaming, the crying, the _pleas._

"Wow, Melinoe was right, you do know what's going to happen," Helen was eyeing her now, gaze focused on every inch of her. A chill ran down Rachel's spine.

"I don't know anything," Rachel said and then, against her better judgment, "But why are you involved?"

Helen laughed and started to make her way across the room, walking slowly around the furniture, "Oh sweetheart, I'm saving my motives for a bigger, much more troubled group of youngsters." Rachel's hands fisted at her side. "You just have to help us find them."

"I'm not doing anything for any of you," Rachel spat. "I hope you all rot in Tartarus for eternity." The air shifted, like it would before a storm, growing denser. A man appeared in a shimmer, his body falling back against the couch, and the air snapped back, like a rubber band. The man, Rachel thought, seemed to be plucked straight from Ancient Greece, with close cut, dark curls and tan skin. He looked much like Heracles, but something was wrong with his eyes. They weren't exactly eyes, except they were, but also weren't. It was as if someone had painted two glass orbs white and had left the iris clear, because the white was translucent and the iris glowed golden. Not like the liquid gold of Kronos that was ingrained into her mind, this gold was like the sun. She shook her head, "How many of you are there?"

"Enough," Helen sighed. "Not all, but enough."

"Don't just give away information like that," The man said and when he saw Rachel staring, he smiled. "My name is Orion, sweet girl." Rachel cursed quietly, mostly to herself.

"I'm going," She said. "I'm the Oracle and I'd like to leave."

"Do you think that makes you invulnerable?" Orion asked. "Is that what Apollo told you? These gods are not as trustworthy as you'd think."

"Fuck _off_ with that whiny, Castellan-baby bullshit. I've already heard it once before."

"But Lukas was right," Helen sauntered ever closer. "He just had the wrong allies."

"The love of my life," Orion sighed. His eyes seemed a million miles away. "Killed me because of her own brother, why? I'll tell you, because he wanted to. No other reason."

"And what? You're all going to be mighty and just rulers?" Rachel said.

"No," Orion said, almost laughed. "We're going to be the same I suppose, we'll just do it better. Besides," He pulled his shirt sleeve back and revealed a gleaming, silver arrow. "I have no intention of killing the love of my life. I know she'd gladly stay with me."

Rachel let out a cry, it sounded humored. Manic. " _Artemis_ would rather die than be with you again. You're _insane_." Helen was at her side now and shoved her back. Rachel caught herself before she fell.

"Like you're not," She said. "You've got images and prophecies and a brittle, old woman in your head. But don't worry, we don't care about all that," Helen was laughing. "We just want to know what's going on in there, won't you tell us?"

"You'll have to kill me and find another host," Rachel spat and took that moment to punch Helen straight in the nose. Rachel felt the repercussions immediately and jerked back, holding her fist close to her chest. Helen, though, wasn't even phased. She blinked, pressed gently on the bridge of her nose and then glanced back at Orion, laughing still. Then, with unnatural ferocity, she took Rachel by the jaw, hand slipping underneath her chin, and slammed her back against the glass door. Rachel could hear it break, she could feel Helen's nails dig into her skin, and she could see Helen bearing down over her, a vicious smile on her face.

"Wrong answer, sweetheart."

From the corner of her eye, Rachel could see Orion flipping through another magazine. The blow had started to take its toll, she felt light on her feet; for a moment, she wondered if she was even standing at all, maybe Helen had just lifted her. "We were supposed to wait," Orion said.

"Piss off," Helen muttered.

"Don't rough her up to bad."

 **.**

Sometime later, Rachel gained enough awareness to understand the voices around her, although the world was now dark and she was sprawled out on the floor and she couldn't even move.

"What did you do to her," Melinoe hissed.

"I did what you wanted," Helen replied.

"You roughed her up is what you did," Eros said.

"It was much more mental than physical, dumbass."

"It's roughing up all the same," He muttered.

Rachel stared out the window walls and took in the city lights as they spoke behind her. She hurt, stung, ached, but the worst of it was what she'd seen, what she'd revealed. Again and again, until she'd refused to look, until she'd wanted to go blind. She still wanted to, she could still see it all, her eyes were still a bright glowing green, it tinted her vision. She tried to focus on the lights.

"It doesn't matter. We have what we want and now we know everything," Helen said. "Let's go kill those little brats."

"We can't kill them just yet," Triton said. "We need to come up with a plan."

Helen scoffed, "Then get it together and start thinking. I want to drain the life out of them."

Rachel swallowed, steady sobs unable to escape her throat. A stray tear or two slipped free, blurring her vision momentarily. The city was so bright, too bright for the future. _Percy_ , she thought. _Percy, save yourself._

* * *

thank you so much for reading! 3

i'm currently working on the next chapter, but in the meantime, what did you think? i have to say, i'm so glad i got to percy's tattoo. i know i didn't mention the colors, but the trident is dark green, and iron-like in appearance and the waves are varying hues of blue. i had to tell to, i can't help myself.

see you soon! comments are highly appreciated xxx


	11. The Library of Alexandria

never thought i could get a chapter out this fast. let's keep our fingers crossed for speedy writing!

i hope you enjoy xxx

* * *

ANNABETH:

"If we keep following Caesar's map, we should be there in about thirty minutes!" Luke shouted. Miles of sand stretched out around us. We'd left the Nile hours ago. I tried my best to believe Caesar was honest.

"I still can't believe you can do that," Percy said from beside me. He was talking to Frank. "You can just. . .morph your body into anything you want?"

" _Only_ animals," Frank said. "But yeah, any of them."

"That's so wicked," I said.

"What can I say, family genes," Frank shrugged. "Apparently I'm a legacy of Poseidon or whatever." Percy gasped.

"You mean we're like, _related_?"

"None of us are technically related," I corrected. He hushed me.

"But I can't shapeshift. Why is that? How come I got the shitty genes?" Frank and I stared at each other as he continued and we tried to stifle our laughter, but it didn't work. "Don't make fun of me."

"You can make tsunami's, Percy!" Frank yelled and I laughed harder. The group kept on like this for a long, long while. There was something about winning a fight that put half-bloods in the mood to bicker. Every now and again, I'd glance over at Luke, who still had the map held open. A pressure was increasing around my head the longer we walked, which was more comforting than it should've been. Something had been tugging at me the second we had stepped foot in the desert, but it wasn't easy to pinpoint, like a needle in a haystack.

I finally understood as we climbed to the apex of another sand dune. The sky, not too far on the horizon, shook like a bedsheet in the wind. It shimmered against the sun, mirage-like in nature, and as it fell away, a building was revealed. A massive building. It shifted every few moments, changing from one style to another as if it couldn't decide what it wanted to look like. I picked out a few. Traditional Grecian marble arches, Chinese timber and curved roof corners, Scottish stonework. A row of pillars flashed and even from here, the Egyptian ornamentation at their top and base were visible. It kept changing, but I forced myself to look elsewhere, at the parts that branched outwards, extending farther and farther; it was _huge_. This had to be it. "The Library of Alexandria."

"You're gawking," Percy said. I slapped at his arm. As the last of the group reached the summit, the ground started to shake. Weapons were drawn without instruction.

"Luke, is this what you meant when you said dangerous?" Thalia asked.

"Don't ask _me_ that," He said. "I know it's dangerous, I don't know why." Ahead, the sand exploded upwards in two different places, blocking our view of the library and knocking us to our feet. From the explosions crawled two creatures, both made of stone. One resembled a jaguar, except the neck that connected it's head to its body was elongated, so long that it seemed like a snake. The other was a lion, except its head was that of a hawk's and not a jungle cats. I pointed to them.

"That's a serpopard and a hieracosphinx!" I yelled.

"Great! What does that mean?" Frank asked.

"They're Ancient _Egyptian_ monsters!"

"Son of a bitch!" Thalia screamed. She notched an arrow and sent it flying. All it did was bounce off the serpopard's body and land in the sand. Zoë made a comment about the head; it was the only part of them not made of stone. Thalia caught on quick enough and notched another arrow. The hieracosphinx opened its beak and a roar hit us that sent everyone sliding backward.

"No one will be shooting us in the head!" The hieracosphinx cawed.

"First-time visitors," The serpopard growled. "You did not use the correct entran- _csss_." It was hissing now. Weapons were lowered. They towered over us, at least forty feet high, and I craned my neck up to look at them.

"We were following a map," Luke lifted the paper up. "Sorry."

"All registered first-time visito- _rsss_ know to use the correct entran- _csss_. If you are not registered, you are a threat." Silena stepped forwards.

"No, we're not a threat," She smiled; her voice was too sweet. "We'd just like to check out a book. Please let us inside." The hieracosphinx was not impressed.

"The charmspeak makes you more suspicious, miss." It squawked and bent it's horribly disproportionate body over to look down at her. "But if you mean no harm, we do take last-minute registrations."

"Fantastic," She said, still using charmspeak. I wondered whether or not it was actually working. "You can use my name. Silena Beauregard. If you look me up at my local library, you'll see I've checked out just about every romance book. They're so invigorating."

The hieracosphinx twitched it's head, "Hello, Silena. My name is Larry. Yes, I do find the romance mysteries rather thorough, but that is not the type of registration we require last minute." Silena stopped smiling. Sand swirled around us once more, forcing everyone to gather close together. "We require three things for last minute visitors. A confession, a lie, and a secret."

"What does that mean?" Thalia asked.

"The Library of Alexandria did not gain its reputation as the greatest library from basic knowledge alone. Personal fact is just as important as academic fact. We require knowledge for entrance; tell us something we do not know."

"Strawberries have 200 seeds on them on average," Lee said.

Larry growled now, "That is the Snapple Fact #718 and it is an insufficient answer! We require new knowledge from _yourself_! A confession, a lie, and a secret!" The group fell into silence then. I picked at a lone hangnail. The creatures stared down at us, waiting. As the minutes passed, they barely moved; it had to help that they were stone. A confession, a lie, and a secret. There were plenty of things that these monsters didn't know about me, but they definitely weren't asking for the fact that I hated chocolate Lucky Charms. Frank must've had the same idea because he stepped forwards first.

"I have one," Frank raised his hand. "Haven't really told anyone this, except Hazel, and what I told her wasn't the truth." He fished a bundle of cloth out of his pocket and unraveled it, revealing a small, half burnt piece of firewood. "I told her I just carry this piece of wood as a charm. The truth is, if the rest of this wood gets burned, I die."

" _What?_ " Hazel yelled.

"Frank is officially cooler than me," Leo said.

"Everyone's cooler than you," Beckendorf replied.

"Interesting," Larry said. "You'll have to tell us more. Now a confession, perhaps?"

Piper stepped forward, "I used Charmspeak to steal a bunch of luxury cars which landed me in a wilderness school."

"That's not a confession," The hieracosphinx said. "It must hold a level of guilt and importance." A few groans rang out. A memory floated to the forefront of my thoughts; it made my stomach roll.

"My mother threw me to the wolves because of my stepmother," Jason said.

"I shoved an arrow through a man's trachea," Zoe said.

"My brother Phobos scares the shit out of me," Clarisse said.

I raised my hand, "I almost joined the Titan army." Everyone froze. "Oh, _that's_ what you all stop for?" Percy, Thalia, and Luke swiveled their bodies in my direction. "We're not talking about this. It was when Percy was missing and he was on Ogygia and I got a little dark, but we're _not_ talking about it."

" _That_ is a confession," Larry said. "And those little things you all shouted do count as secrets, so you are free to enter." Their bodies started to disintegrate. "Do not set the library on fire or you will be killed." With their bodies gone, the library was visible again. I started walking, making sure no one could see my face and the redness that had grown across it.

 **.**

The closer we came to the library, the less it changed. I deduced it must've been alive, enough that it could sense it's visitors and select an appearance that would suit them. For us, it flashed back to Greek architecture, all columns and marble and a large, slanted archway. Yet, that only aided me in better calculating its size. This wasn't a Parthenon, nor was it an Olympian palace, this was. . . something else. I felt like an ant in comparison. It was so large, it seemed as if the tympanum carved into the arch held god-sized statues; in fact, the closer we came to the entrance, the surer I became. When we reached the stairs, others began to notice.

"This place seems to be doing pretty good," Nico said. "You know, with the fires and all."

The stairs were so wide, we had to take a few steps between each of them.

"I bet it would be impossible to tear this place down again," Percy said.

"I think that's their goal," I murmured. Then we reached the top of the stairs and I stopped.

A set of doors towered over us, like two wrought-iron giants with interwoven bronze vines reaching up and down. A safety precaution; it didn't match the exterior. We were stagnant outside it, completely immovable. Luke walked up to them first, then Beckendorf followed, and I found myself falling in close behind.

"I don't think they'll let us in," Luke said. "I bet they know who we are."

"The statues let us through," I said.

"But did they _know_ who we were?" He asked. "I could pick the lock."

"That is not a lock for picking."

"I can try to break it down," Beckendorf said. "Or we can try a password."

"I'm just going to knock," I said. Tapping against the metal created a hollow ringing. There was a single beat of silence, then the doors groaned and ever so slowly, swung open. The overhang above us, combined with the stark, desert sunlight, caused the interior to be cast in a harsh shadow. The only light to be found was slanted against the floor and it didn't reach very far inside.

"Traps," Luke said.

"Yeah, yeah," I said and made a forwards motion with my hand. The rest of the group shuffled closer. "Let's go." Together, we walked into the library, and after a good ten feet, the doors shut behind us. Without the contrast, our eyes adjusted. Well, they adjusted the best they could. Our surroundings were spacious, but everything was cast in shadow.

"Why's it so gods' damn dark?" Lee asked. Someone must have heard him. All at once, everything erupted. Skylights opened above our heads, the stone slabs grinding as they slid back, and hundreds of clattering sounds surrounded us. Lights flickered on, coming from the ceiling and the sides of bookshelves—all of which were about twenty shelves tall. I walked over to one and saw a glass case slide shut, then it's front shimmered to a dark blue; the rest of the bookshelf already had the same exact cover. I reached a hand out to touch it, too mesmerized to think of the consequences, and a voice came from the ceiling. It was an intercom.

" _Don't touch that,_ " It buzzed. It was a woman's voice. " _That's a protective covering from the light. I see all of you on camera. Front desk please._ "

"Where's the front desk?" Lee asked, much to at ease.

" _Keep walking straight,_ " The woman said, then the intercom cut out.

"Lee, sometimes I wonder how you're still alive," Zoë sighed.

We walked down an aisle, surrounded by shelves, until the area opened up into a large circle with a ceiling that curled into a dome high above us. Pillars were placed on the outskirts of the circle, but they were all different things—wood, stone, marble. The one closest to us was wide, made of wood, and had several faces carved into it, stacked on top of each other. This one was a totem pole. The others filed out around the circle, pushing me forwards. In the middle of the circle, was a circular desk, tall and grand like everything else. The closer I came, the easier it was to see the person sitting behind it.

She had an umber complexion and dark curls that were pulled into a ponytail at the top of her head. She was wearing a loose, pink chiton that cinched at the waist and was sitting in front of a, extremely thin computer, that was also transparent. When I reached the desk, she stopped typing on her keyboard—that I'm sure was made of glass—and turned her eyes on me.

"Hi, I'm looking for—"

"Name and registration number?" She asked.

"Oh, no, we registered last minute," I gestured behind. "With the serpopard and the hieracosphinx." That made her pause, then squint her eyes past me.

"You got to the guards?"

"Yes."

"So you missed the quicksand fields? The minefields? The sinkholes, the jaguar dens, the moat infested with sea creatures?"

I glanced back towards Luke, who was staring at one of the bookshelves. As if he felt my gaze, he looked up. _What is it?_

I turned back to the desk, "We followed a map."

The woman groaned, "Caesar's map? Give it to me, please. He always has the safest route memorized." Luke came up to the desk and she took it from his hands than ripped it in half. I gasped; Luke took that as a cue to back away.

"I could have put that in the camp archives!"

"That man can't leave this place _alone_. Did he send you?"

"No, he just helped us," I said. "We're looking for something."

The woman gestured around, "Everyone always is, but alright. If you hold no connection to Caesar," she smiled, "Welcome to the Library of Alexandria. Knowledge awaits you. My name is Nia, come to me with any questions." Her smile was infectious and sincere, I smiled back. "Give me a name so I can put it in the system and you'll be set."

"Annabeth Chase."

Her smile disappeared, "You're the Athena girl." The chatter that had grown behind me stopped short. "That means you're all—"

"Please don't say anything," I said. "We just want to look, we won't break anything." A sensation grew in my stomach, it was anxiousness and it wasn't mine. I steeled myself, "Listen, we don't want to hurt anyone but we need to find something and we're _not_ leaving without it."

Nia's face contorted in confusion, then smoothed out into thoughtfulness, "I can't do anything to you or your friends, Annabeth." The anxiousness dispersed from my stomach.

"Then how did you know about us? Did anyone contact the library?"

Nia laughed, "Hardly. We have to send requests for immortals to share their new knowledge with us, but when one of them puts a bounty on someone, word spreads quickly."

"A bounty—no, forget it," I centered myself. "We need to look through some archives. Please point us in the right direction."

"Of course. I'm assuming, the Greek wing," Nia said and placed a map on the counter, then traced a line and circled a wing. "You'll find everything you need there. Library rules require that I encourage you not to get discouraged. The library is ancient and alive, there are secret passages even I don't have a key too." She slid the map over to me, returned to her seat, and continued to tap against her transparent keyboard.

"Thank you," I stared at her. The blue light of the computer reflected against her brown eyes. "You're not. . .going to do anything, are you?"

"Knowledge is everyone's right. The library is open to anyone."

"But you're not going to tell our parents." Her hands stopped typing again and she pursed her lips, then turned to me.

"First off, this place is shielded, hidden. You can call them the Olympians, they can't sense you. And second, this building has been targeted by many people over the eons. It has transformed over the centuries. It's a place suspended yet connected, where everyone can share what they learn. I do not trust you, but no person looking to do harm has ever _knocked_ on the doors in order to enter." She waved her hand, in a _shoo_ motion. "Go on, I hope you find what you're looking for."

 **.**

Once when I was young, my father had taken me to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. as an adventure, since we couldn't go to Parthenon. I'd gotten lost, more on purpose than he'd care to believe. It's hard to remember how long I'd been wandering around, but ever since then, I could still recall the feeling of wonderment that place had given me.

The Library of Alexandria made me experience it all over again.

Pathways ran through rooms which merged into halls that ran through gardens. It should have been confusing, it shouldn't have worked, but everything fit together seamlessly as if designed by magic; at the back of my head, a voice confirmed it.

We followed Nia's map, beige brick and tile making up our route. Every so often, the walls would open into archways and fountains would gurgle on either side of us, surrounded by foliage. On the way, we passed by two wings for other countries and a spacious study area; visitors sat here and there, surrounded by books. As we reached the Greek wing, the beige stone transferred to limestone and marble. Two pillars sat on either side of the entrance which rose high above us and perched atop it, 'Greece' was carved into the stone. Crossing the threshold, with our footsteps echoing, we found ourselves in a circular front room. Against the back wall, there was a statue, dressed in ancient robes and holding a scroll. To either side of it, there were doorways, just as large as the entrance, leading further into the wing.

Jason walked up to the statue, "That's not him."

"Agreed," Thalia said.

"Why would you assume it's Zeus?" Nico asked. I walked towards one of the doorways, the others close behind, and glanced at the statue myself. It wasn't Zeus, it wasn't any of the Olympians. Or maybe it could've been, the features were not easily identified.

"If there's only room for one of them, he prefers it to be him," Jason shrugged. "That's all." Nico punched Jason, who laughed. I kept walking, through the doorway and into the room behind it. After a few feet, we stopped. Someone let out a low whistle behind me.

"This might take awhile," Leo said.

The room extended out, a bit farther than I could see, but at the very back, there were smaller doorways leading to other rooms. The ceiling stretched higher than the entrance and shelves lined the walls, all of them filled to the brim with books. Between them, there were crisscrossed, wooden shelves that held bunches of scrolls; these had covers on them, similar to the ones in the front hall. Tapestries decorated the spaces that lacked shelves, and the room was filled with tables, some of them just to sit, others covered with transparent computers. Fresh air blew through the area, from yet _another_ garden. I couldn't see it, but the chirping of birds let me know it must've been nearby.

"Let's get to it," I said.

We split into groups and looked up a map of the Greek wing through the computers. The library was a conundrum, I didn't let it affect me. Everyone took sections, some went to Curses & Hexes, some went to Hidden History, and some went to Olympus, which was larger than the others. The library ran on a strange version of the Dewey Decimal System. We didn't bother figuring it out. My group simply went to the area labeled "L." After an hour or two, it was obvious the goddess, Tyche, was not on our side—just like everyone else.

"We're never going to find this thing!" Clarisse yelled and flung a book away. It hit a bookshelf before _thunking_ to the floor; nothing happened. It was clearly a new book, I assumed that's why the library did not react.

"We have to keep trying," Pollux said.

"Correct," I said.

Clarisse gestured at the shelves, "Look at these things! Some of them are new, some of them are old, some of them are like really old, but none of them look old enough to hold an _ancient curse_."

"Looks can be deceiving," I said.

"Clarisse has got a point," Leo said. He was on a ladder, dangerously high, scanning the books at the top of the shelf. "I doubt _Aphrodite's 1001 Ways to Be Worshipped_ has what we're looking for." As if realizing it's mistake, Aphrodite's book flew off the shelf and started floating away to put itself back in the right place. I shrugged and place my hands on my hips.

"I don't know what to do then. I'm sensing a ton of stuff, I'm sure it's here. Maybe it's hidden," I turned and started to wander towards the back of our section. Their voices faded behind me. Up against the back wall, there were cases with weapons and pottery, and papers secured expertly to the stone. I let my fingers graze over the edges of an old map of ancient Greece. It was different than others I had seen, an original perhaps. Percy's words from our spar came back to me, _Listen to what your mind is telling you_. A thrumming started in my fingertips. I planted my feet there and closed my eyes. There wasn't anything special about the map, but I could almost feel the ridges of the ink on the paper. A few feet away, I could feel the smoothness of the ceramics. Behind, the books felt like blocks, singular and enhanced.

Everything was humming, a gaggle of spirits struggling to speak.

A secret, a map, a path, a code, a _fake._

I ran back to the others and kept running past them even when they called my name. I ran all the way to the main room of the Greek wing and went straight to the statue. Along the floor, tiles surrounded it in a semi-circle. There was a reason the person was unrecognizable.

"It's a false!" I said and spun around. Everyone had run from their sections to gather behind me. I was grateful, it would have been awkward screaming at nothing. They looked expectant. "It's not supposed to be anyone." I turned back to the statue and gestured wide, to the curved walls. "This doesn't make sense."

"What doesn't?" Percy asked.

"The statue and the walls and the sections," I said. "Why have this circular entrance and then have a bunch of rooms behind it. It's so odd. Why not break the wall down and place a statue in the middle of the room? With _all_ the Olympians? Or a scholar? The entrance would be used more effectively. It's clunky, it doesn't make sense for a library this pretty."

"I thought the Greek wing was nice," Silena said.

"Same here," Zoë said.

"No, that's not the point," I waved my hands to bring them closer. "Look at these markings on the floor, get inside the semi-circle." Everyone shuffled together and I stared up at the statue. The scale it held was perfectly balanced. "Jason, fly up there and put your sword in either side. It needs to be weighed down." He did exactly as I said and the second the scale tipped down, the stone around us began to turn. The walls cracked in a straight vertical line on either side and the tile on the floor slide, following in the same direction.

"This is just going to take us behind the wall," Thalia said. "Right?"

"Nope," I couldn't help smiling. "It's a secret room." Slowly we turned, the wall revealing bits and pieces of what lay behind it, until the section came to a halt and the statue stood tall over an entirely different room. For once, I was not the only one to gasp at papers.

The room was just as large and held books and scrolls, but the shelves were thinner and scarce. Scrolls hung from walls that were cast in shadow, sunlight filtered in through skylights. I watched the dust as it spun through the sun rays. We filtered through the room, floating around tables with tops made from large slabs of polished, yet unshaped wood. On one, loose papers were spread out and at the edge, there was an open journal. The chair there was pulled out, someone had been sitting in it. I checked the papers, they were filled with sketches, mathematical equations, and ancient scrawl.

"Do you like them?" A voice said from behind.

I spun to find a woman.

She had pale skin, like paper, but if I looked at her from a certain angle I could see right through it as if it was translucent. If I looked a different way, the sunlight reflected against it and made her glow. Both her hair and eyes were brown. The hair, loose and wavy around her face. The eyes, sweet. I'd seen her face in one of Chiron's books. Facts were tripping over each other in my head.

"Do you see her or is it just me?" Nico said, voice close.

"No, I see her," Katie replied. "Annabeth?"

"Hypatia," I shook my head. "This is. . ."

"Surprising?" She offered, then smiled. "It's rather surprising to me. I don't see many people in here. Smart of you to figure it out."

"Thank you," I said. "We're just looking for something."

"Do you need any help? I'm eternally tied to this entire library. It has expanded since my original time, but I've had eons to read everything." She walked up to the table and gathered her papers together. "What do you say?" Behind her, everyone sobered up once more, much like they had with Nia. Hypatia's smile felt familiar. _Trust me._

"We're looking for something called Lethafora Anathema. It's a curse and its ancient."

Hypatia pursed her lips in thought, "I'm familiar with the name, but I've only read it once or twice and never has anyone asked me about it. Why do you need to find something so obscure?"

"We—" I saw Percy step forward. He extended a hand, a plea more than a demand. I shook my head. "We've been cursed with it. We're half-bloods and the Olympians are hunting us, but we don't want to usurp them, this was forced on us. Please believe us. My name is Annabeth Chase, I'm a Daughter of Athena," I removed the Mist from my skin to reveal the mark. "We need the information on that curse." Hypatia stared at the owl, then slowly glanced around the room. She gripped her papers, jaw slack.

"If what you say is true, it would be hard for me not to believe you," She looked me in the eyes; hers had grown sad. "You see, from what I've read, that curse is not something to be considered lightly. If you're here, then you must be incredibly lost."

 **.**

Hypatia showed us everything on Lethafora Anathema.

There wasn't much at all. Two scrolls and a stone slab inscription. They were _very_ old, the parchment cracked at the edges and the words faded. She reassured us everything in the museum was infused with a magical no-break policy, but every time I touched it, it felt like it would crumble to dust.

Despite our efforts to find it, demigods were hard to keep focused. At first, everyone crowded around the table, then after five minutes, a few left. Another five minutes, another few. After twenty minutes, it was just Thalia, Percy, and I. . .and I couldn't take it any longer.

"This doesn't make any sense!" I slammed my hands on the table.

"Oh please do tell," Thalia said.

"Our theory doesn't pan out," I gestured to the scroll. "There's no point for our parents to have hidden this here, there's nothing here to put them in danger." I translated the words aloud, " _Lethafora Anathema grants its user with unlimited power, mimicking that of the paired immortal. To gain this power, one must cast it on themselves. Feelings of euphoria are signs of a successful process_." My eyes traveled to the bottom of the page. " _The strongest among us, no matter how invincible, may always require assistance._ "

"There has to be more than that. The scroll is pretty big," Thalia said.

"There is but it's _basics_. It's stuff that the six of you have already figured out." I threw my hands up. "It never actually tells you how to do it. There's no instructions. It's not like this scroll is screaming 'Try me.' I might as well be reading a medicine bottle without the instructions. Useless." Percy leaned forward to place his hand on mine.

"It's alright," He said. "This was never a definite answer. At least we found what we came here for."

"You're just trying to make me feel better."

He shrugged in reply. I laughed.

"Okay, maybe we should get going then." I looked around the room. At the scrolls and the models hanging from the ceiling, at the statues and the tablets secured to the walls. "It's safer to be on the island."

"Oh wait," Hypatia came running from the back, a bundle of scrolls cradled in her arms. "Come with me." She took my hand, dragged me over to a case, and lifted the glass off. Inside were five scrolls, all rolled up and in a line. "Take these with you, if you wouldn't mind."

I reached in and gathered them in my arms; with patience, I mimicked her stance. "What are they?"

"They're the layout for the original Library of Alexandria." Her eyes gleamed against the rays from skylights. "The library received some prints quite a few months ago, from Athena. They were your plans for the new Olympus, she wanted us to catalog them." My breath caught in my throat. Before I could say something, she continued. "I wanted to ask if you would recreate the original library at Camp Half-Blood, maybe on a smaller scale. I saw your designs, there is no one better for the job. And—" Her smile grew wider. "I would be able to visit."

I could feel myself nodding, though the rest of me was still catching up. "Yes. Of course, I will. I promise, I promise."

Hypatia hugged me, which caught me off guard. "Thank you," She pulled away and pointed to two scrolls. "Now, these two are charmed with Mist. You'll just have to solve a riddle, it'll be no match for you—" I almost dropped the scrolls.

"Oh my gods," I said and ran back to the table, with Hypatia close behind.

"What is it?" She asked.

Percy stood up, "What's going on?" I handed him the designs.

"They're covered in Mist!" The scroll was still spread out on the table. "That has to be it." Like before, I pressed my hand to the paper and waited for a humming or a whisper. Warmth spread across my palm; no words came forth. "If the gods' wanted this hidden. . ." I splayed both hands out across it. A heavy pressure set in my chest. The mark on my arm started to glow.

"Are you breaking an Olympian firewall or something?" Thalia asked, taking a step back. The writing on the scroll retraced itself, this time in gold ink, but it didn't change. I channeled more energy into the paper, or at least, I hope I did.

"I don't know how you dealt with this when we were twelve," I mumbled. "Swords give much more concrete results." The pressure had grown into bitter steel in my mouth. The golden ink started to seep across the entire scroll. It resembled gold foil. My mark started to burn. Nothing else happened.

Then a brilliant, white light started to emanate from the scroll. Everyone shielded their eyes.

"That seems like a barrier!" Hypatia cried and ducked beneath the table, her form shuddering.

Thalia and Percy cried in protest, but I kept my hands on the scroll.

Everything was on fire—my mark, my chest, the light. A thought came to me and I focused on the burning. It was like burning coals, but it hardly hurt. I willed it to spread through my body. The light burned through my eyelids. I pictured myself being enveloped by it.

A breeze hit the base of my neck. I was weightless. There was nothing around me, only vast emptiness, or was there everything. I dared not open my eyes. Someone was screaming my name, though it was distant.

Worry hit me. Something was wrong. I wouldn't last.

I thought of my mother. Athena—graceful, all-knowing. She would know where I was. An Olympian, power stretching across the vastness, reaching to every corner. Product of the heavens, body unbreakable. _Holy_. . .

Stone cracked, wind hit my face, I was falling.

Percy caught me by the wrist mid-fall and my eyes shot open. Then I _breathed._

"Gods," I gasped, sucking in gulps of air. "What's going on?" He was pale. So was Thalia.

"Annabeth, you were, you weren't—"

"You lit up!" Thalia exclaimed. "Like a Christmas tree! All white light like the scroll!"

"What?" I asked, then stepped back up to the table. The stone slab was cracked down the middle, letters gone. The second scroll had turned to dust. The other—the one I'd touched—had ditched the gold foil. Only the golden scrawl remained and a simple, constant glow.

"Reminds me of the fleece," Thalia said.

I traced my hands across it, nothing had changed besides the color. "I don't understand." Then my hand hit the bottom. At its base, the scroll felt thicker than before. I rolled it out, but the wooden rod refused to catch on the end of the paper. It kept going, revealing more writing. "Percy, take the top." I handed him one side and proceeded to keep pulling. Soon, we were ten feet apart the scroll still wouldn't end. Across the paper, gold writing glimmered at us and it was different. "Oh my gods, _this is it_."

"Annabeth, you're the coolest best friend any girl could ask for," Thalia said, smile huge. "How did you do it?"

I shook my head, "I don't know. I was focusing on the paper and this burning and—"

"You had light coming from you," Percy said. He looked at Thalia. "We didn't know what to do." I stared at them, then at Hypatia, who was watching me. Her eyes were knowing. As exhilarating as I felt, the heavy truth set itself down in my stomach.

Hypatia spoke, "An Olympian made sure no one but another god could access this."

"I don't think there was a light coming from me." Both of them tilted their heads. "I think I _was_ the light." I hadn't known then, but the moments after this would be etched into my memory for the rest of my life.

All around us, the library gave a horrid, gut-wrenching groan. If buildings could speak, it must have been screaming. Scrolls fell from shelves, statues shook on their pedestals, and dust dropped down from the ceiling as bricks shifted helplessly against one another. Trying to fix something, trying to hide. An explosion _boomed_ from somewhere in the library, making everything shake even worse. The birds that had become a constant from anywhere in the library cried out, squawking and flapping out of the skylights or deeper into the building still. The four of us tried to keep our footing as the building rumbled and when it finally calmed, screams and crashes could be heard from the other side of the fake wall.

"Oh no," Hypatia said, clutching her scrolls. Her eyes were far away, looking at the past. Her body started to fade. "It's happening again."

* * *

oh yes, that cliffhanger is strategically placed. we are about to reach an apex and it is going to be, real bad. any feedback?

thank you so much for reading! reviews are absolutely treasured 3


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